Steph

1929, 1931 The company started "in a modest way" in 1929, in Sistersville, WV. (click to enlarge)

1950 This March 1950 ad is the latest of any sort I've seen for Akro so far -- not counting the one for the sale of the property. Note the reference to a N.Y. showroom. A showroom is mentioned in a 1938 ad also, with a different room number. (So this isn't necessarily a holdover from an earlier ad.)

Late 1940's 1948 Lots of info in this article. Different versions were found in various papers around the country. I don't recall how complete this version is but offhand I think it looks pretty good. I'll compare others as I come across them again. (click to enlarge)

1946 Now that I've seen this ad, I've looked closely at the contents of boxes with the picture of the three boys, and they are very often the newer looking patches. But check out the "counter box" photo. That moss agate pic was first used about 15 years before. Note that the Moss Agate name has been blotted out! (click to enlarge)

Mid 1940's

Early 1940's

Oh my. Those are some sweet lozenges.

Oh thank you Terry for the support. That was a bad slip, wasn't it.

Cool!

The Tracy-Wells ad is another puzzle to me for the wholesale pricing details. Was Tracy-Wells actually a wholesale merchandiser? Or more like some of our modern discount warehouses which aren't really? The fancy illustrations do make it look a little upscale. no? For comparson here's an ad which I've seen from a couple of sources but I don't think I've ever seen a company name for. Galen said it was from 1933. Here's the gigantic version Galen posted (924 kb) which we lost during a space crunch: (click to enlarge) Smaller, 268 kb version Or for a quick comparison, here is a clip of the Rainbo box: (click to enlarge) For another example, at 20 cents apiece the California agates are at least as high as the retail of the period. There were news reports on thefts from Calif. Agate in early 1930 and late 1931. The 1930 report valued the stolen marbles at 10 cents each. The 1931 report valued tham at 5 cents each. For another example, the Tracy-Wells peerless prices are the same as the NLR prices at a Wisconsin hardware store in 1931, and the realer prices are even higher. (click to enlarge) The ad is still awesome! I'm just not sure what was meant by "wholesale".

Here is a beautiful 1931 ad George Sourlis sent because of the box of California Agates. It's from the Tracy-Wells Co. catalog. Awesome graphics. And it's cool to see an earlier date on the Acme Realers and Peerless Patches than I had before. (Click to enlarge)

More 1940's? Some more Akros which seem to be from about the same time frame. Jo sold this box recently.

1940's Another salesman's sample case. Again, the exact date is unknown, but my guess is mid 1940's. It contains later era Akros. It seems most likely (to me) that the case was modified to reflect a simpler line. It was 'found' in New Zealand, of all places! As far as I am aware, no others are known. Why haven't they been found in the USA? (some discussion)

Year? This was a new name to me at a time when I might have thought I should be confident I'd heard all the Akro marble names. I don't have much for dating them, but I do have some info on when marbles were being advertised for floral arrangements. I'll gather those up and check dates. Off the top of my head, I think it's the late 30's and early 40's. Though the sample box looks old enough to be from the 20's, it is hard to tell when it might have been used. afterthought: were caster balls named anything other than caster balls? If so, what? In a sample box: (click to enlarge) And the flower arranging balls from the industrial uses thread: (click to enlarge)

1939 I can't remember anyone else calling their mibs Royals right now, so I'll say Akro here.

1937, 1938

I have some odd bits and pieces for this. (lol, I guess I should put some of the standard info in here also. someday) June 27, 1870 German Flats, Herkimer, New York Jennie Levi, age 24, Housekeeper Boarder list includes: James Fredericks, 26, Blacksmith, from Denmark Martin Fredericks, 21, also from Denmark, "works at the agl works" (Agricultural Works) Coincidence? Error? New bit of information? Is this our Martin? I guess it is possible that the census taker was careless with Martin's last name. He seems to only have filled in part of the information for people with parents who weren't citizens. Or perhaps there was a misunderstanding due to language. June 11, 1880 Buffalo, Erie county, New York 137 16th St. Fred Christensen, age 32, Foundry worker Wife Jennie, 34 Children: Carrie, 7 (Carrie may also have been known as Cathrine) Helena, 5 Bessie, 3 (Bessie seems to be lost to history, possibly confused with Jessie in later accounts) Charles, 1 1890 The Drop Hammer Forging Company is incorporated in Akron. Martin is "superintendent". 1898 - 1899 Martin's patents place him in Cleveland. 1898 - 1899, War with Spain A 20-year-old Charles F. Christensen was a private in the Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company B, Akron June 11, 1900 Akron, Summit, Ohio 725 East Exchange Martin F. Christenson, Age 50, born March 1850 (inaccurate), Machinist, immigrated 1862, in U.S. 58 years, Naturalized. (questions) Jennie D. , 50, born April 1850 (inaccurate), married 28 years, 5 children, 4 still living Charles F., 21, born October 1878 (this appears correct), at school Jessie M., 17, born May 1873, at school April 26, 1910 Akron, Summit, Ohio Street address 457. [note: The large Baughman family lives at 465.] Marcus F. Christensen, Age 61, immigrated 1867 (some question), manufacturer of glass marbles Jennie, 63, married 37 years, 5 children, 4 still living Charles, 30 (inaccurate), manufacturer of glass marbles Oct. 10, 1915 Martin Christensen dies. Sept. 12, 1918 Charles Fredrick Christansen (question about last few letters in Christansen, but not about the "a") Born: Oct. 27, 1878 Nearest relative: Nellie M. Christansen Residence: 453 E. Exchange, Akron, Summit, Ohio Employment: Manufacturer, M. F. Christensan & Son Co., 455 E. Exchange Short, stout, brown hair, brown eyes Jan. 2, 1920 Akron, Summit, Ohio 453 Exhange St. Chas. F. Christensen, Age 40 (inaccurate), Mfg, Glass Wife: Nellie, 34 Daughter: Jacquelin, 4 and 3/12, born in Ohio (question) 457 Exchange St. Head: Jennie D. Christensen, Age 73 Maid: Galdine Aubin, 32 Dec. 25, 1922 Charles dies in Akron. 12th, 1930 Akron, Summit, Ohio 453 Exchange The household had a radio set. Nellie Christensen, head, age 45, widow Daughter: Jacquelin, 14, born in South Carolina (question) Brother: Carl Baughman, 38, single, Automobile salesman Sister: Elizabeth Dietz, 25, divorced Nephew: Richard Dietz, 6 Lodger: Paul Kistler, 28, widower, Doughnut Company Proprietor

to Ron. And a belated LOL to Bob. I have a whole lot of different reactions to the hyperbole in the old ads. Most of the time I find them charming. Sometimes I laugh out loud. Sometimes I get caught up in trying to figure out if it really was an exaggeration or just how much of an exaggeration it was. That's what happened to me with that particular box. 11 marbles for ten cents sounds like a lot of money! ... you know, considering it was 83 years ago. But I don't know enough about costs in the 20's. Maybe 10 cents was perfectly in line with the cost of manufacturing especially considering quality of the marbles. Anyway ... I'm bumping now coz I plan to add a couple of ads. brb.

Update: All of the mesh bags have been seen in modern times, at least one each. VERY hard to find.

1936 Sept. 1936 -- Pop-Eye Packages: If I had to guess the marbles from the photos, the sheen on the darkest ribbons would lead me to guess at least some oxbloods in the 10 cent box.

1935 Jan. 1935 -- Visi Paks Live and in color: (click!)

1934 Jan. 1934 -- "the new Akro Carnelian": (click to enlarge) Are these Akro? (click to enlarge) The patent: (click)

1933 Jobbers price list with the "new Akro Carnelian" and Sparklers!

After 1932? Possibly 1934 or later? When was the "new" Akro carnelian actually new? (click links below the thumbnails for larger images - might need to doubleclick for full size) . . . . http://i119.photobuc...Catalog1of4.jpg http://i119.photobuc...Catalog2of4.jpg http://i119.photobuc...Catalog3of4.jpg http://i119.photobuc...Catalog4of4.jpg In reference to a recent prize name discusion, at this point Akro definitely had white-based Prize Names, but the ad company wouldn't necessarily have known it. There was an ad maybe from around this time which had the color combos dropped, but that was one where there were pix of the prize names. Pix which didn't match the description in the ad. The proofreader would have flagged that and finally the outdated text was cut. (that's my theory) Close up of one of the more unusual parts of the ad: I recently learned that all of these bags have been seen in modern times. The only ones I've seen pix of are Hotshots. It has been suggested that the Liberty bags were related to the advertisement bag at the bottom of this pic. (click link for larger image) http://i119.photobuc...zardMonarch.jpg

1932, Glassies Size Update I sorta hope this is a clue to dating ads which mention No. 2 glassies. Hope it means they would have come after February of 1932, but there's some conflicting info still being worked out in one of those other ads with No. 2 glassies. It's at least remotely possible that Akro might have sent out a letter for completely different reasons. It's remotely possible that they said they were getting requests for an unadvertised item, when in fact they were failing to get requests for an advertised item, so they wanted to pump up interest. (Just brainstoming while I wait for word on some of those inconsistencies which seem to place at least one catalog with #2 glassies in the year 1931.)