Steph

Whether marbles were useful as ballast, it sounds as if they were at times legally considered ballast. When I think of all the red tape and technicalities and loopholes in customs and commerce laws, it's not too hard to believe. (click to enlarge) Marbles-as-ballast stories were around in the 1800's also and have always intrigued me! LOL But I do like this article for another obvious reason -- the Japanese cat's eye story and how that affected the marble industry in America. The ballast story the article tells struck me as reasonable in part because the article's overall tone is so calm in comparison with some of the other things published about the marble industry that year. The employment figures it gives seem credible, in contrast with an article written by controversial labor columnist Victor Reisel. From January through April there was a flurry of news in connection with a reciprocal trade agreement with Japan. Spokespeople such as Clinton Israel and Roger Howdyshell spoke in favor of an increased tariff on marbles to protect the industry from inequitable Japanese business practices. The concensus of the marble industry seemed to be that they would have to close their doors on July 1 if they didn't get their tariff on Japanese imports. The dilemma for Congress was balancing U.S. industries' needs with the perceived need to nurture Japan's economic recovery so that Japan wouldn't accept trade incentives from Russia and its allies. The trade agreement was passed in May; the marble tariff amendment was voted down. And then in late July Reisel's article ran, declaring that the marble industry was gone. He said that as he typed, it employed only 10 people, and those 10 would be laid off by the time his article went to print. I know there were severe challenges but obviously the industry didn't completely shut down. Apparently Reisel didn't call anyone to check on the status of the industry between when he first talked to Howdyshell and July. He simply said the industry was gone, and used that as a symbol of what could happen in other American industries. A couple of other dates of interest: Howdyshell claimed in a 1986 interview that Marble King got started in cat's eyes in June 1955. The Vitro book says that Fisher debuted their cat's eye in Sept. 1954. If I understand correctly Vitro's clearie line was also popular and they hit gold again in 1959 with All-Reds. Side note about Reisel ... the next year he was blinded by someone who didn't like his writing -- they threw acid in his face. He kept writing.

Thanks Brian. That's pretty much how I figured it ... that he might have done it fairly easily, but perhaps not with everything else he had going on. Funny thing, I ran across yet another Tennessee marble reference today. If one newspaper column is to be believed, in 1955 there were some in government who thought that American marbles at that time came from Tennessee and only Tennessee.

Found a 1943 Galveston, TX mention with a 24-inch-trophy, and some of the runners-up were said to have received "athletic sweaters bearing 'marble king' emblems". It was a championship between "orphans' homes" though, and the trophy was for his home not for him, if I am reading correctly. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners got medals. The sweaters went to the 4th through 6th place winners. It is very plausible that this is part of Berry Pink's ongoing involvement with tournaments. What's still up in the air and in doubt for me, is how extensive, formal or organized his involvement was. Also, If Marble King trophies tended to be for institutions such as schools, that could help explain their rarity. Men might hang onto the prizes they won as boys, and those might eventually work their way into estate sales. Trophies won by a school or orphan's home, for example, seem more likely to go where they might never be seen again. That's just a hunch on my part, tho'. [space reserved for the article] ======================== Haven't recovered that other article, but here's a sorta cool mention from 1941. An explanation for Berry Pink scaling back his tournament involvement - and confirmation that he did scale back. It suggests a plan for expansion again in 1942, but of course the war could have affected that. There seems to still be a little bit of inconsistency with other articles I've seen. I'm fairly sure I've seen one or more 1941 articles suggesting that Berry Pink was still donating trophies this year, but oh well! This is still cool! Here's the Berry Pink mention at the end of the article: Click here for the whole article.

not known? could this be it: The New York syndicate who bought 80% of the patent would license the bearing making process for a fee to people who made ball bearings, and Martin would get a cut of what they negotiated for themselves?

I grin everytime I see this one. Maybe someone else will think it's cute too. (click to enlarge)

hadn't seen it. have now. $312.07.

Martin Christensen was in good shape in 1900 when he sold his revolutionary steel ball machine patent to the New York capitalists for $25,000. That would have given him a fairly comfortable retirement even if he hadn't started his marble company. Plus he only sold 4/5ths of the invention. What was the remaining 1/5 of the invention worth to him? Did he collect royalties on ball bearing sales? or what?

That's funny in so many ways. :icon_lmao: oh yes, LOVELY marbles.

yup. until we do, here's a pretty picture to keep the imagination firing. Carole, do you recognize any of the landscape? Hmmmm ... looks like this became the site of "Centennial Park" (click to enlarge) (click for more modern view) well, I've looked a bit and haven't found any confirmation yet that Leighton made it to Nashville. Giving up the search for the mo'.

Still waiting for the after shot, Gary! I was hoping to find some story -- some proto-urban legend -- about kids soaking mibs in lard to make them look nicer for their trades. haven't found it ... yet. do I have too little faith in humanity? :Evil_1: :icon_lmao:

LOL ... I thought about that! But then I got sidetracked by this .... (click to enlarge) Seriously, wouldn't it be cool if we discovered that site and it isn't under some skyscraper or parking lot, maybe just in a city park if you're lucky! tho' I guess the first question would be whether J.H.L. actually followed through with his plans.

No, I mean it!! LOLOL

*hehe*

1897 Stone: An Illustrated Magazine Published 1897 Item notes: v. 14 Original from the New York Public Library Not a lot of material but there are two J. H. Leighton factories mentioned on the same page. And one of the references is weird. See p. 630. So ... did Leighton make marbles in Tennessee? Marbles are also mentioned here. One of the 19th century documents claiming that figure marbles were made in molds.

Now that the other thread has gone to the dogs .... and rodents ....... Just kidding .... and just having fun ! (kermit the kitten, found somewhere on the web) Don't go here:

That's fierce. Watch out brother!

:icon_lmao: <------- if that's okay with you, Sue.

Thanks. lol. I keep telling people machinery is over my head. I actually have a gigantic wheel a lot like this one. Coz' it's 'pretty' (lol). (it's painted red inside.) But I never had the slightest idea what made it "go". A leather belt, hmmm. Good to learn. Carskadden's book on Colonial Period marbles has been recommended to me in connection with this. Onyx being softer than marble marble, from what I'm hearing it sounds like a process similar to that used to grind limestone might have been employed. . . okay, I'm getting lightheaded. machines!!!!!! *whoow* I need to go look at something fluffy now.

Here's the best I can do trying to reconcile the Block set and David's original 8. There do seem to be a lot of repeats in Bob's. maybe?

Here's a bigger copy of the pic Al posted. I noticed that about no Pink Champagne in Block's photo. Had fun trying to count how many distinct family members this would add up to when taken together with this pic you showed of the original 8 in your article. The one on the middle right of the Block photo doesn't look particularly green to me. But Carole has one which came across as very green in her pix (below). Carole knows hers is not from the original 8. However, it is a Pelt and was said to be part of the later runs of the larger Nova family, in the broad sense of the term. If I understand correctly.

not too shabby

Post Classics! Well, there have been a whole lot more threads on this. Time to start gathering them up! In the meantime, check out Jaboland! http://anythinggoes43567.yuku.com/ Okay, starting to gather now. Any recommendations? This is going to be be slow if it's just me doing the searching. October 2008: Jabo Tributes January 2009: Joe Hogue Box June 2010: What A Tribute 1" Run Pictures!

Gary, that's neat about the drain. I'm afraid I'd bust the massager. (don't ask) DC, I remember that article. That would be Issue #17, Dec. 2006. I think we've managed to squeak some new uses in. Not bragging -- just saying I've been surprised once or twice. I don't remember us mentioning hydroponics though. And it looks like there are a couple of other variations we sorta have here but not quite the same application he gives. cool. p.s., did we have throwing marbles on the ground to make pursuers slip? I have articles where that was done but not sure if it made it here. That's another one Mike mentions.

Pretty pretty pretty! (so sad about the screech.) Here's the most grown-up pic I could find of my bestest boys. They're fatter than this now. (another gratuitous web pic ;-)

I'm a little stressed out by talk of machines. even tho' I started it ! I found these fluffy things in the folder where I was looking for images of people working at their grinding machines. I felt instantly better. *happy sigh*