Steph

Do we even know what the "M" stands for? In 1917, the M. Gropper & Sons company was said to consist of Harry Gropper and Abraham S. Gropper. From a patent for a "Liquid Pistol". Patent number: 1238733 Filing date: Sep 16, 1916 Issue date: Sep 1917 In 1901, the names given for the M. Gropper & Sons company were Harry & Samuel & Abraham. The Trow (formerly Wilson's) copartnership and corporation directory of New York City, Vol. 49 p. 195 Harry had a son named Meyer. At least there was a young Gropper named Meyer, and Harry was listed as nearest relative on his draft registration from 1918. Meyer was a packer at M. Gropper & Sons. (click to enlarge) (So maybe Meyer was Harry's father's name?) While I'm at it, Gropper appears to have been (re)incorporated in 1923. From the NY Times, 10/4/23, under the headline of "New Incorporations", one of the listings is:

Is there anything else of significance we should/could know about Gropper? Here's a bit from another site: source: Antique Toy Archive

Here's a link to a Gropper box at a recent Morphy auction. Box It's a Gropper New York box (as opposed to Ottawa). Morphy's description says it contains a row of American Agates. Curious about your thoughts about it all, but perhaps starting with whether you agree on the American Agate call. Morphy's description: Photos from the auction: (click to enlarge) Thanks.

By Peerless Opalescent, do you mean Acme Realer? Acme Realers are famous for their bases having a grain to them, and turning something like transparent orange when backlit. edit: here is a thread I started once to study different types of marbles with a translucent white base. http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=7863 Note: the understanding of what it is to be a "Cloudie" might be changing. They might have at least originally been designed as single color translucent marbles. But that's a different subject. Additional note: I've looked up some old ads. Master advertised "Cloudys" as "solid colors". Seems pretty definitive. The marbles I've been calling "Cloudies" appear to be what Master called Meteors.

thanks!

Here's a link. Cedarman7

Someone has asked a question here: http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=7044 If anyone would like to play along, feel free to help out.

Hi Ken. Sorry for the delay in getting to these. I haven't been online much. Hi all, here is another pic from Ken, and a larger version of another group pic he sent. His note said, "Sorry for posting such a small group." . . (cute Ken, lol )

Pretty cool. My guess would be clay on that red one. But take that with a grain of salt.

My widow better not get remarried. That's all I can say. Just playin'.

Ugh. Thanks for the imagery, everyone. Thanks ever so much for bumping this, Gene!

Striking demonstration. Thanks for sharing.

Sweet! Thanks for sharing the news!!!

No, I couldn't figure out how to drag the pix at ebay. Used this auction to test it out: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300484793652 But I did finally see what Al saw with the images here at MC. I right clicked on the correct spot I guess and I was able to save a pic. I'm not quite sure where the correct spot is. lol. Tried to replicate it on another pic and failed. But went for it again on a 3rd pic and got it. edit: when I right clicked on that pic at ebay, I got an option to View Selection Source. Some code popped up. In the code there was a .jpg address. I copied the address, pasted it in another window and the picture came up. And I was able to right click and save it from there. *whew deep breath*

Are you able to download pix from ebay? I can download pix from lots of places but not from ebay. Well, not from Marble Connection either for that matter. I mean not from the Marble Connection attachments. I could right click and download the photo above. But if I want to get an attached photo from MC I have to go back to Explorer. edit: Oh wait .... you said drag. I haven't tried dragging. Let me check that out.

I generally use Firefox for browsing. Firefox won't let me save the pix. So when I want a pic, I go to Explorer. If that fails and I really really really want it, I take a screenshot.

1992 ?

neat little globule.

That's one of my favorite examples. They say the Akro line is complete in more than one ad. And if I recall correctly the first appearance of that was in 1930. When obviously there was more to come. In at least one version of that "Akro line is complete" ad they seem to show two kinds of Moss Agates. And they also seem to describe two kinds of Moss Agates. But they splice together the descriptions and the photos/illustrations in an odd way. They appear to be drawing material from three different time periods. When I try to point out which piece came from where, people say they're getting a headache. So I won't try that again. But I can SEE where they've mixed things up. p.s. When they talk about Moss Agates with "exquisite patterns" are they talking about patches? I don't think so! lol

I had put some stuff into my Akro timeline in the study hall. I don't know how caught up I am. My disks crashed and all that. yada yada boo hoo for me. ;-) But I did find Carnelians advertised as "brand new" in July 1933. And I have a few other dated items as well as ones of uncertain date. I could try to copy some of that over here, including the 1935 and 1936 mossy ones. But I don't want to be too redundant. Check it out here: http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=10676&st=20

I'm going to have to disagree with the idea that all the mossy cork/swirls were pre-cork. I think mossy cork/swirls continued to be made for awhile. Corks were around by early 1930, whereas Carnelians were advertised as "new" in Jan. 1934. How long would Akro have been calling them "new"? Paul, are you thinking of Cardinals? They were made before corks were first made, and had a definite pre-cork and cork version. Or Imperials? Those had a pre-cork version and the box stayed in use with other marble types. Final edit (and fwiw): The mossy swirls were still being advertised in Sept. 1936. The popeye boxes had them in it in the ads. I've got mossy swirls in ads for 1934, 1935 and 1936. That's a long time to have them hanging around as old stock. At least I can't help thinking so. .

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300486599644 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300484793652 sorry Paul, you posted while I was searching.