Steph

I'd almost hope there weren't any special cats in it. I wouldn't want to be tempted to open a bag like that. I'll take this chance to add something I'd hoped to add in another thread. Somewhere - couldn't find where - I said we probably didn't have much chance to find out the names of Japanese marble making companies. Now I realize I was wrong. I still don't know the name of the people who made Azuma cats, but I might know where the name can be found. Saw a snippet from a 1960 trade directory which had an entry for the "mfr and exp" of Azuma brand marbles, Unfortunately the company name was cut off. But there's more info out there, in English, than I suspected. Someone with a good library and the interest could probably find a lot of leads.

Thanks Al. That's a nice range of bags. Some new to me. Whirlwind, that's a fun name.

1868-1912, known as "the late Meiji period" Flat glass marbles used as playing pieces in a traditional Japanese game. おはじき遊び　Ohajiki-asobi　Ohajiki (Flat Marbles) Game

Of course there's a lot known. A lot of notes elsewhere. Especially for marbles from Germany. Just found an intriguing reference for marbles from Japan and needed a place to put it. Not sure what the credibility of a bartenders' union's publication would be for information about the toy marble industry, but I still found this interesting. 1907 From the April 15, 1907 issue of The Mixer and Server. The context is the desire for tariff's to protect domestic U.S. industries. Just a tiny snippet about marbles among several other examples of imports from Japan: Some more while I'm in the neighborhood . . . 1952 Possibly a mention of export of toy marbles from Japan to different parts of the world, possibly including Europe, South-East Asia, Central and South America, .... Mentions "Glass marble". I can only guess it's the toy version. Trade and Industry of Japan 1973 A History of Glass in Japan, by Dorothy Blair, Corning Museum of Glass. The book at least mentions marbles, and it seems as if they might be early ones, as in circa 1900. I need to either get the book, or have some fun on Google ferreting out more of the passage. 1956 The Glass Marble Industry of Hongkong, by SC Wu, in Vol. 20 of the Far Eastern Economic Review. Discusses marbles made in Hong Kong and Japan. I should get the book. However in this case I was able to read a lot just by playing around and teasing out extra snippets of the book. Here is a summary I posted last year of what I read. In particular, cat's eye production in Hong Kong seems to have started in 1954 in response to Japan's success. 1951 In 1951 Osaka is a center for glass balls and marbles, according to The Oriental Economist, A Monthly Journal of Practical Finance and Economics. Dorothy Blair's history also mentioned Osaka specifically. Have found 1950 and 1949 references also: 1950, The Oriental Economist 1949, Foreign Commerce WEEKLY 1937 Trade Directory of Japan comes up with a search for Osaka and "glass marbles" (in quotation marks). Not even a snippet view available on Google though. 1960 Japan Trade Guide: With a Comprehensive Mercantile Directory. This appears to give a manufacturer for Azuma brand marbles. I can't see the company name in the snippet but it's nifty to know it's there. I thought we might never be able to find names of Japanese marble making companies. Just need to figure out how to get my hands on the full texts. Other notes: Seeing 1947 as what appears to be a founding date for a glass bead and marble company, unsure of location but mentioned in an Osaka trade directory. Seeing what looks like possibly 1967 for Camel brand marbles.

My bad! Pittsburgh! Thanks.

"Jasper" was an 1800's name for lined crockery. From an 1883 publication: source

I know a little about the Penny King company of Philadelphia. For instance they sold penny toys for vending machines. But also they've sold bags of marbles. I've seen or heard of more than one maker's mibs in the bag. What examples do you have or know of? Thanks!

David, I've seen an historical reference to wooden marbles. I think it might have been at Akronmarbles.com. They sure would have been at a disadvantage if there were any real agates in the game! 'course this one in this auction is too big for a regular game so I would have a hard time labelling it as a marble.

Well, they might be "opals".

Is the base opalescent on the white/green/red?

I think I'm seeing at least some Jabos. That brown yellow orange one is one of my favorite Jabo combos.

Anacortes (click to enlarge) . . . . . . . . . .

Thanks for the example, D. Fwiw, here's what I am seeing. Some of the black and white ones look like black base with white ribbons to me. Not particularly baseball-y except maybe for the 2nd from the top. But still looks like a black base on many of them. To me. . . I just noticed the 6th one from the top looks like a white base. Hadn't seen that one before. In the 5th column, I think I'm seeing a dark base with red and white ribbons. The base looks as if it might be transparent or translucent.

While we're on the subject of Blue Pandas and such, are the ones in the 3rd column regular Pandas? Morphy auction pic - click to enlarge Would the mibs in the 5th column have a name? They look sorta like 7-ups but they're NLR era mibs. (edit: is that base black or green? - I thought it was greenish but maybe it's black after all)

Pop, are you sure about the size? If it were closer to an inch, I'd have had a different guess. Might have gone American-made then.

I mighta guessed Asian. Looks like we're agreed it's foreign! :-) p.s., I don't think it's ugly!

Is this a test? If it's a test, I'll guess Akro. If you really don't know and are looking for an i.d., I didn't say anything!

Yes, Carole's pelt pieces are fantastic. I've been thinking about writing to her to tell her that people continue to mention them on the boards. They've been a great teaching tool. Your aqua based one looks like a Pelt. The red one I can't tell. The one with the white, blue, green and yellow patches is a Vitro Tiger Eye. The green and white looks like a Japanese brushed patch, the kind we call "Wales" marbles.

p.s., while on the subject if anyone has any suggestions for threads to move to the archive, feel free to PM them to me! Thanks!

Thanking people for the kudos I've received on the Study Hall recently. Might encourage me to do some more updating. Big echo on the Joemarbles.com plug.

At LOM Ron said he'd never seen a half red / half green Bogard. I also have reservations about that green shade.

Some more beauts! From the auctions of Bob B., Biblefreak and Retdex, respectively.

LOL. It's a dead horse to keep beating on that dead horse! hehe. Good for Jabo! American marbles. American jobs! Yea! And that one Scott posted is SO cool.

Not seeing Pelt or Koko. Anyone like Master?

National Rainbo Line From a Morphy auction, Feb. 26, 27, 2010. Interesting mix of marbles. (click to enlarge) . . . . .