Steph

I prefer using small boxes. If you are willing to invest a little up front in things like boxes and bubble wrap, you could try Uline.com. (They have a minimum purchase, last I checked, but you can get a nice combination of items in that miniumum purchase.) You could also try a site such as Staples.com for smaller purchases. Some people use bubble-lined envelopes. Some people use the smallest flatrate box from the postal service. That commits you to a pretty big postal charge for a single marble -- nearly $6. But that price includes $50 insurance, so that's a good thing. For small numbers of marbles in excellent condition, I use 2"x2" ziplock baggies to make sure condition stays the same as I described it. If it's a near-mint condition group, I just wrap them snuggly in larger ziplock backs and bubble wrap cushion. Hope there's a useful idea in there somewhere.

Tough one. First impression on colors and striations of color was Master. But the structure is more like Akro, or possibly Marble King. I'm leaning Akro on this one, but I am not committed to that.

The colors definitely did not come through as brown and black on the monitor. The structure doesn't look like a Pelt to me. So I'll say no to Chocolate Cow even if I had a clearer handle on the colors. To me the structure looks like a Vacor -- modern marble from Mexico.

Nifty. I'm liking these more and more and more. I can almost see myself making one. And then I see some of the trickier pieces -- like the one which rotated a little each time and routed the marbles in different ways -- and the thought about how much thought it takes to come up with something like that is sort of intimidating. But the modularity has a very nice feel to it.

I used to play hooky from school to go buy apples and eat them in the park while I read novels. But for pie filling I can't make up my mind.

lol. yes, that's simple mathematics.

I think that could be so, but I wish it weren't so. It's like with marble tournaments. Not that many collectors are interested in the actual game of marbles. Yet where would marble collectors be if there weren't so many players who went before? I'm excited for anything which keeps people playing with the little orbs. Plus the more I look at the marble runs the more I like 'em.

They got more fragile later, didn't they. Love vaseline no matter what.

feeling cheeky

Of course I know about 1" Alleys. But what other WV companies had swirls in the 3/4" range or larger ... and do you have any examples to share? This question inspired by John's marble in the ID forum.

I have heard of Ravenswood having high contrast white, but I've just heard the words -- can't vouch for how much contrast is possible with marbles from my stash.

It's gorgeous and I totally appreciate your dilemma.

Really? Was he named Cliff Claven because of the word clishmaclaver? Or is that just a cool coincidence the Cliff Claven is a clishmaclaverer?

So that would make an interesting thread ... what do the majority of 3/4" Cairos look like?

A three-quarter inch Cairo .... hmmmm .... ? Yeah, according to American Machine-Made Marbles there could be such a thing .... but ?????? I'd LOVE it to be Cairo. My money would be on Jabo though. All 25 cents of it. (25 cents is my max bet.) I've love love LOVE for it to be Cairo. Please be Cairo.

Interrrrestinger and interrrrestinger

If you've ever thought of building a marble run, now would be a good time to talk about it with two experienced builders in the house. And even if not, give the guys a round of applause. We all need a good word.

I think you're right about them being Jabo. They sure are nice ones though ... if they are all Jabo. With the mix in the ages which you showed in your other groupings, I don't want to jump to conclusions on all of them. I _think_ the top has the best chance of not being Jabo.

The top two look modern. Vacors. From Mexico. The bottom left looks like a Vitro Tri-Lite, from the 1930's. I think Champion Agate on the bottom right. Not sure what to think about the bottom middle. You appear to have an interesting mix in your marbles.

Hello. Welcome. What size are we looking at? Standard? 5/8-inch-ish? Top right looks like a brick, which is great. Could be MF Christensen. Could be Akro. Leaning MFC. Bottom right looks like an Alley. Bottom left _could_ be Alley, or could be something more modern. Not sure what to think about the other three. They look like ones which _could_ be modern, but looks like you have at least two nice old ones, so I don't want to jump to conclusions.

Been looking for this one.

Zip!

Will do.

Check in on the marble run forum from time to time. Encourage our resident run makers! http://marbleconnection.com/forum/31-marble-runs-marble-games/

New subject. Apple or cherry?