david Chamberlain

The question was asked, "Why so many people bidding on this?" Simple. Amongst the greater antiques & collectibles public(including antique dealers) while there is considerable ignorance regarding the arcana of marbles almost all of them have heard of Sulphides, Comic Marbles, Popeyes, etc. So when some misguided soul with a decent track record(What was that? 98.5%) provides a description with only a sketchy qualification(the ? after Peltier) minds run wild. Hey Clyde, bummer about the plane snafu. I'd be interested in hearing how this eBay sale progresses. Anyone yet advised the seller about his reproduction Comic? David Chamberlain

My reference to CA sulphides was only to make a comparison. I in no mind meant to cast aspersions on this marble. It is a fact I believe that the first time such a similar marble was seen was amongst the CA sulphide group in the mid-1990s. And thank you for the derivation info. Craig, you have cleared that up. It is interesting how so hot and fast my enquiry was construed as contentious. On first look I immediately said to myself $2000 and up! I did not claim it to be anything other than what it is which is clearly fantastic. It would be nice to know how the pontils were finished off. And what's the size? David Chamberlain P.S. Heck, this is a marble that most anyone should be/would be interested in.

Have enjoyed our conversations over time and greatly appreciate the effort you have put into making this new Board a reality. 1st class effort and I look forward to what the future brings. David Chamberlin

This marble is decidedly one to ponder. There's something contrived about a sulphide figure in a cane cut marble as if a maker were well aware of sulphide rarities and chose to take matters a step further. I too suspect that Lloyd would have something to say about this marble as it harkens back to the 'California Sulphide' group in appearance. I would be interested in hearing some specifics re. the pontils and am a little curious as to the circumstances of its acquisition. Whence from did it come? David Chamberlain

Cute! David

My Spanish is non-existent but in early(1992) letters I've rec'd from Vacor their heading would state VACOR DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V. So ICSA is definitely not the name of a grocery chain but what I'm not sure. And as for 'C.V.' I'm sure it isn't curriculum vitae in this case. I'm thinking that with Pete's long association w/Vacor via Mega Marbles he might have a clue. I'm sure it's something simple that will wind up having everyone saying, "Duh!" David Chamberlain

I'm not saying it is but Ric's Avatar has such an excellence to it that it could almost pass as a Mike Barton marble! David Chamberlain

Al is spot on re. Maggie's marble. It is Ravenswood. For those of you with a penchant for Champion Agate Co marbles I've a halfway decent article about them in the Archives at Marble Mental and then, of course, there's the Johnson, Metzler & Six book with a great chapter on Champion. I just scratch the surface but AMMMs provides an in depth history.

Unfortunately Tank Girl's pic has gone by the Boards but anyone who loves Peltier marbles has got to enjoy this mural again. David

Geeze,now I'm really going to have to do this. I will be selective. Unfortunately often in those old threads the photographs have lit out for parts unknown. I'll have to pass those up. But there's plenty to play with otherwise. David

When you have a slowness about you that only allows you to weakly scan the 1st page of over 100 pgs. it's no wonder you wonder at the seeming paltriness of ID possibilities. Me thinks there's plentiful opportunities for cogent comments on long since gone threads that never truly were properly exhausted. Maybe I'll bring back pgs. 90-100 tomorrow and get all this stuff here on pg. 1 over to pg. 2 obscurity. Whadaya think? At least Mark Block deserves obscurity. David Chamberlain

JVV, Can you sight the info. for the China attribution as I and I'm sure others would be interested. I'll admit I'd have jumped to the conclusion of it being German Confetti but handmades are not my forte. David

Seems to me that a few of those threads you are looking for just popped up to the top of the page. David

I especially prize Master cat's-eyes and pushing 3/4"ers is about the biggest I've seen. I especially like their generally undefined innerds. They defy description....really. As for Marble King they had many in the 1" size and then in the late 1970s they did a special run for the ALL AMERICAN MARBLE SET which contained six big cat's-eyes each 1 3/16" approximately. Only two thousand of each kind were made. See my first ten postings of the CAT'S-EYE SERIES (must be on page 6 or 7 now) at Marble Mental for specifics on this unusual boxed set. I have a few incidentally(the mint boxed sets). David

I wouldn't bet on it; they're looking pretty much Master Sunbursts right down to the very last one. David

Yeah, Pennsboro Alley Agate and I'm assuming 5/8"; it's got that look. I've a set of twenty five(25) Alley Agate Flames that I've gradually upgraded to within an inch of their lives. See AMMM (2006), the Alley Agate chapter, of course. In truth I feel they should be referred to as flame-like because Christenson Agate Co. is the rightful owner of the name 'flame.' Still Alley Pennsboro turned out some beauties. David

I think this thread could almost have a confessional air to it. 'My First' was truly at 'the Show!' Amana. I think 'round 1991 or thereabouts. The legendary Russell Coppel and I rented a car and drove from Santa Cruz CA. Right off I had to establish a certain ground rule.....no funny smokin' whilst on the road! Somewhere in Nebraska I think it was we hit an antique shop and came up with a couple doz. spectacularly colored clays of various sizes I've never seen the likes of since. We had an understanding that road marbles were split even. Amana, of course, was a mind-bender with machine-mades only recently experiencing their ascendancy. We'd brought along something like 125 sulphides of dubious condition. So dubious that one evening, more like on towards midnight we were rolling them and banking them off the walls in the hallway. That came to a sudden hault when it was suggested that someone coming out of a room too quickly could get their ankle broken! There's always someone messin' with your fun! Well, it was a true marble initiation and especially the Banquet with typical ethnic Iowan humor highlighted with baton twirling. Then there's the food.....All in all I wouldn't have missed it for love nor money. David Chamberlain

Isn't is wonderfully that they've stayed together for so long! Buddies.....David

Red text always makes me double-clutch 'cause as a kid my New Testament was red-texted for Jesus's words. How they ever got all those first person testimonials sure had me perplexed! David Chamberlain

I think 'Field & Stream' should cross-reference this Board for cutting edge fishing lore. Me I like jigging for rock cod with my own rig + back country solitary trout action. David Chamberlain

Been rackin' my brain for that one but for that period I believe Peltier had the franchise. David

I've had those big ones as gifts from Vacor but have given them to the grandkids. They were made in the 80s and early 90s is my best guess based on acquisition. Definitely monster marbles. David

Ditto! David

Contemporary handmade all the way! David

Well, I'd have to concur and wholeheartedly Marie! David