Steph

I paid $52 for mine in June on eBay.

Akro made bricks, right? I'm not sure why I have this niggling doubt about that, but I do. I know Akro sold MFC bricks. And I know that Akro procured MFC's recipe for oxblood. (Procured it in an unethical manner.) But for some reason doubt has slipped into my head about whether they used MFC's recipe to make bricks. If they did indeed make bricks, then are we able to tell the difference between an MFC brick and an Akro brick?

Pretty sure contract run

There are two cat's eyes in the bottom photo. More in the larger group photo.

It's a Marble King. Might have a fancy name. I don't know it though.

I'm seeing Marble King here.

But here I'm seeing MCS, so if that was happening in the first marble -- three colors of ribbons -- then yeah, MCS.

For me the left in that first photo looked totally Rainbo. Not MCS. The marble I was questioning was the 2nd marble in the line-up. For some reason I was seeing it as possibly a West Virginia swirl.

This is so weird. My husband is home now so I asked him how he got the cans open. But he is unable to remember how he got the marbles out. Hammer? Hacksaw? Those are the two possibilities he came up with. How could he do something so physical and not remember it? It's been several marbles over the past few years. How can he not know which tool he used to wrestle the marble out? Too weird.

Hello. Welcome. I'm sure one of our West Virginia swirl gurus will be by soon to help.

Now that my husband realizes that spray cans can have marbles, he has procured me a small collection. I have never seen or asked how he gets the can opened.

I see a 1960's Japanese marble. Some 1960-ish Marble Kings. Possibly some West Virginia swirls (which are from 1930's through at least the 1950's.) I think a Vitro cat's eye, from 1960's or later. Maybe another Vitro from an earlier era. And some newer Asian marbles.

Welcome. We'll do our best.

Love!

Doh, I didn't tag Art for an Akro question. Thanks for stepping in, Art. Good advice.

Room temp water is generally all you need for glass. Be careful with the clays ... water can remove the color.

Are there Tiger-Eye like MKs on transparent? I was really hesitating on that one. The colors looked MK to me. I went through some of my modern MK photos and didn't quite see a match, and wasn't aware of full-coverage MK's on transparent bases. So I finally gave up the struggle and accepted likely Vitro.

So, seriously then, for $120 I think I would expect a pristine marble. We definitely need to get some more input here though. @Ric ?

$120 for a superman seems a little high, but maybe not for the privilege of having a layaway plan and a good relationship with the seller. Is it mint? Curious what others will say.

I'm content to consider it legit.

I'm leaning European if only because of the orange peel, but Ric now has me scratching my head.

I would bet the box had been opened before. If they were sold with the string, that would be news to me. If the original marbles are in the box, they will be the kind used for playing Chinese Checkers.

Really really appreciate you sharing this history with us. Thank you for being a part of helping to keep it alive as the great ones pass on.

#1 Tri-Lite ... don't know a name #2 ... don't recognize ... wouldn't even have been sure of Vitro #3 Transparent inside, right? Then Tiger Eye. #4 I guess a Tri-Lite -- a handsome one #5 Might be early 50's ... after Tri-Lites and Conquerors and before Tiger Eyes

Hi. Welcome. Nothing is jumping out at me as high dollar. But it's a nice vintage bunch. I saw someone get $40 at a garage sale for a group that was less interesting than any of the groups you have pictured.