Steph

Some more Akros which seem to be from about the same time frame. Jo sold this box recently.

What best sellers do you have in mind? My interpretation of the doubling up was that the line had been significantly reduced at this time. That, in particular, corkscrews had been discontinued. My assumption is that Akro didn't want the case to look empty, and didn't want to make a completely new case, so they designated more areas for the more interesting remaining types.

No. no documentation to help date the box. I have a personal guess -- a theory I'm mullling over -- related to why sample cases like that wouldn't be found in the U.S. When would Akro have been selling in New Zealand? Before the war Akro sold a lot to Canada and England. After the war the "tightened economy" in those countries (and in Belgium and Holland?) made Akro turn to other markets, including India, Iran, other parts of Asia, South America, Africa, and continental Europe via Belgium. This is from a PR-sounding news report in 1948. Also discussed is a drop-off in playground use in America, but an expansion of industrial marble sales in the US and abroad. So my theory is that the later cases wouldn't have been needed in America. Akro was well enough known here that mostly what would be needed to ensure a healthy share of the American market would be updated price lists in the hands of merchants. My guess is that department store buyers already knew enough about what marbles they would be getting. But to break into new markets, Akro may have needed something more tangible to make the sales. Ergo, updated sample cases. So the question then might be, when was New Zealand a new market for Akro? (I realize I'm making an assumption about the case being in NZ for commercial reasons. it could be a coincidence that it ended up there -- someone could have taken it there when it was no longer needed wherever it was first employed)

Seems pretty correctly filled all around. Of course it has the correct Aces. :-) One cool thing is that it appears to have at least four of the five original prizename combos. The line which would be blue/maroon seems not quite 'perfect' but it is clear that Akro quickly expanded after they announced their first five colors.

Popeyes are tri-onyx agates. I believe the specials area to be a miscellaneous compartment. One which Akro could fill with whatever marbles they thought might interest buyers -- could be experimentals, could be top of the line, could be just extras they wanted to push for some reason. I have yet to see a special box or compartment filled with tri-color corks. I've seen some with some tri-colored corks, but never 100%. And I think usuallly not tri-colors at all. I wrote to someone who may have seen as much specials packaging as anyone alive and he said there was no rhyme or reasoning to the packaging. On the other hand we know Akro sold three-color corks under the name tri-color agate. Even corks with 3 non-white colors -- what we call lifesavers were in the ad introducing tri-color corks.

I think that's the also available in other sizes line.

Akro Specials

I had a hunch they might look closer. Tricky, huh. This seems like a case where most of the value would be in the box. quick note on sizes: the 15, 17 and 19 on the boxes above is the diameter in mm. Kinda odd, hmm -- millimeters being used in California in the 1920's or 30's.

Here are some more details. Some are strange -- 12,000 trophies in 1940 ?? Some could be useful. The reference to when Pink supervised the trophy design suggests that 1939 might have been the earliest possible date on your trophy, Don. I do know better than to jump to conclusions about Berry Pink though. I still have a couple of leads to follow ... Whatever the facts, they might become easier to find out someday "soon". I heard something today which made a lot of sense. 1920's era tournament items used to seem more rare than they do now. It might take a few ... or 20 ... more years, but as the people who won the 1940s competitions pass on, more tournament items and information should come to light. So, here's the "new" material. A flyer giving a history of Pink's past tournament involvement and tying it all to 1941 sales. (click links below the thumbnails to enlarge, might need to double click for full size) p. 1: http://i119.photobuc...nkInc160pct.jpg p. 2: http://i119.photobuc...nkInc260pct.jpg p. 3: http://i119.photobuc...nkInc360pct.jpg p. 4: http://i119.photobuc...nkInc460pct.jpg Large print version of the page 3 (684 kb)

haha

lol ... is that a Jabo Marley?

No, it was not modified recently. It is not my box but I don't even have to ask the owner of the box to know that.

Have a good day and a good year!

no.

Another salesman's sample case. This one has later era Akros and 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 of the pix I've been showing I've resized first. But I can't bring myself to resize any of these. Just can't do it. Note: with the new board format change the thumbnails weren't enlarging for me. So now the bigger versions are in the links below the thumbnails. (click the link below to enlarge) http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes002.jpg (click the links below the thumbnails for enlargements - you might have to doubleclick for full size) http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes004.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes010.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes007.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes015.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes012.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes016.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes008.jpg Different perspectives on the moss agates http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes011.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o151/modularforms/Akro/3Akrosamplerboxes019.jpg Enjoy!

Well, slingshots have been mentioned for whacking squirrels. Sue, I don't know why your link disturbs me so. Craig, that's so cool. Must have been thrilling to talk to him.

I do have Ron's address! Inside an onionskin: (discussion)

A wooden box of clear (crystal) marbles. If this box is illustrated in any extant materials we are unaware of it. If you have seen it before, it would be great to hear from you. Note the label. I can't quite make out the German spelling for Crystal, but see what is printed below. "With threads" would have meant latticinios. (click pix to enlarge)

Here is another box which says "second" or "seconds" on the end, also thought to be California Agates. Seller said 3/4". These do not appear to be polished. One theory is that they were rejected before the polishing stage. Another theory is that some might have been sold with a matte finish anyway. Some kids preferred that in a shooter, right?

My guess was that those were 7/8 inch cubes. edit: yeah, what you just said.

*blush* @ Edna. No, just fortunate. :-) That would be cool, Sue. Wonder if Frankie Walker ever displayed his collection ...

There seems to be very little known about this company. Anything you know or find out in the future would be welcomed. The first photo below shows the presumed head of the company R. W. Walker. The 2nd shows California Agate boxes. The 3rd shows what are thought to be California Agate seconds. The glossary at americantoymarbles.com says the company was "located in Huntington Park, California (Los Angles area); they ground Mexican alabaster (a stone) into marbles by hand; operated from the mid to late 1920s." However, it does appear from the caption of the news photo that the company operated into the 1930's. Let me transcribe the caption in case anyone finds it difficult to read: (click pix to enlarge)

You're the seasoned collector who didn't vote for the righthand color chip!

Oh yeah! and at 50 cents I could get a set for each of the nieces and nevvies!