Steph

I kinda got the impression of both.

The ones on the lower left here seem to have the look of yours. Coming across as more delicate in general than MK.

But some looked more solid too. These are from unpackaged factory stock. The green looks a little delicate maybe. The yellow, red and white look very solid.

Mr. Frier has confirmed that the cat's eyes were purchased from other factories. I suppose more than one company is possible. If I find out who I'll add the info.

update: some of the unpackaged cats may have been samples sent to Alox.

I for one can hardly wait! How awesome to get to meet them in person. I've talked with her on the phone, and she was simply super.

Hi Winnie. Thank you.

Beautiful photograph, as always. My 2nd favorite cat eye color. (Turquoise is #1. :-)

update: these are definitely peewees. half of them are anyway. I measured 'em myself.

they range from easily under 15/32" to a hair over 17/32". not counting the black one of course.

And someone made them! I think we can safely conclude that! LOL

well, one day I'll figure it out ...

p.s., some of them have obvious filament action like the ones Al showed close-up, and some are more solid-looking like the blue ones I first posted. Transparent green patches on all.

just in case you, like I, have immediately suspected backfilling when you've seen cat's eyes in Alox packaging, ... don't be too quick on that.

Alox definitely distributed cat's eyes. Nancy has them in original packaging as well as loose from unpackaged factory stock.

and here's a fun little bit of ephemera she showed me.

Must add this, Edna! thanks!

Red marbles used for encouraging chickens to eat more!!

I think the crackled clearies come from the 1950's. I seem to remember they were some kind of craft. You heated them in the oven and then cooled them quickly. However, I bought some in the 1990's that were Asian, already crackled. The little boy next door was raising chickens for an FFA project and the teacher told him to get some red marbles to throw down in the coop. It was supposed to make the chickens peck up more food. We found red crackled ones at Walmart for him. Edna

I think someone also mentioned marbles ... was it peewees? ... to help poultry digestion ... ??? but this sounds completely different.

p.s., yup, it was peewees in gizzards and yup this is completely different. Something related to teaching the chickens to recognize food as food, I think. I've read about that too now, but already long enough ago that I don't recall the details. I'll have to look that up again. Certain colors were considered more attractive than others. Red in most accounts, but one account said that turkeys prefer green.

Could there possibly be any more? It's so hard to imagine ... but then strange things like this pop up.

And don;t forget Sling shot ammunition, half inch glass balls can really whack a squirrel at close range.

:Happy_143:

Apparently slingshots were also used for anti-espionage!

In AMMM there's a story from Blaine Lemon about how Marble King and Vitro workers used to spy on each other, peeking in windows or doors, and sometimes they'd use slingshots to scare the spies away! Wonder what ammo they used exactly. whatever was in the nearest bin? in their pockets? maybe some pretty parakeets were sent flying. (surely not parrots. Mr. Lemon said no one got hurt!)

Oh my gosh, it was not easy. I've saved the staples. The few flakes which were in the bag. The bag itself of course. It's all there, carefully stored. I could put it back together. I want to keep looking at them though. They're fascinating.

What do I see in hand?

I see a marble type which I've never seen in any other packaging. I think I see similarities to some 1-inchers which Joe Street recently posted which he believed to be Master Glass. Here's his pic. The center right maybe be closest.

But mainly I'm completely in awe to find original packaging for any sunburst-like marble of this size. Has any other original packaging been seen for marbles of this type? It would take a lot of chutzpah for me to call these anything other than Alox.

I do have a lot. But not that much.

Here are some more shooters from the factory stock, with other colors and possibly more coverage.

I carefully pried open the staples. Here's a better look of what's inside.

(click to enlarge)

The white haze in the pix is not present in the glass in hand.

So how do you like my "new" Alox shooters? !!

From Nancy's (and now Mike's) pix I can see they come in other colors also.

@ Alan.

This ox is dark brown.

(dani's pic, you may remember seeing recently)

No one's mentioned CA Bloodies yet ... remember Bill's pic here?

yeah that one on the right is different. I wondered about it too.

China marbles, Black ballot:

(click to enlarge)

That is only the top of the box as noted in the seller's description:

This item is group of early black china ballot marbles and a box cover with a label marked "Black Ballot China Marbles - Made In Germany". The cover is 2 1/2 inches wide, 3 1/4 inches high, 5/8 inches deep and in very good condition. There is no bottom to the box....This item will make a great addition to your collection.

That is a fantastic patch shape. I hope it really is a PPP. (I have no reason to doubt it myself, but am not a PPP exPert).

Does it have aventurine?

To my great amazement, Nancy sent me a bag like the middle one. Also some other items I'll have to share later. !!

(click to enlarge)

The base glass is clear. Sort of brushed patches, but with some action inside. Varying amounts inside (more than 10% but less than 75%).

Colors here include pale blue, pale green, yellow, white, black (or a very dark purple), and a tiny amount of transparent orange-ish.

Size is between 15/16" and 1".

Ooops ... when I was switching from using attachments to using Photobucket, I accidentally copied the code for Mike's bag instead of mine. And now I can't bring myself to delete his!

(click to enlarge)

Can we reach three pages of brown marbles before the end of July?

Will Bob then be able to humbly suggest a new "color of the month" without being ridiculed into hiding?

And will he ever get over the guilt of (unsuccessfully) trying to pin this job on someone else who's a very nice human being?

Tune in!

For the answers to these and many more exciting questions be sure to watch the next adventure-packed episode of ...

(hi Bob :Happy_457: You're sweet.)

uh, that's a really long story. Some do think they're Akro. Some don't. They've been found in different packaging. They're famous as being sold by Ravenswood.

It's remarkable and totally unexpected to see them in Alox packaging too.

I'd consider going in more detail, but my computer is on the fritz and I'm at the library for a quick fly-by.

Yes, thanks ... again ... to everyone!

I'm quite surprised at the diversity. and the interest. I guess I shouldn't be, because brown is beautiful! but I didn't know what to expect.

LOL @ Bob. I nominate you to pick the next color. I don't trust myself to pick a winner twice in a row!

lol ... hershey's syrup is a pretty good description for that brown. good one!

handsome marbles .... everyone!

I've been wondering about brown in marbles.

Don't often see it. Is it because it isn't often there? or it's overlooked? When I think brown I mostly think of all-reds, bumblebees, and a few WV swirls.

Do you have any favorite browns? Any theories about how much it appears in comparison with other colors.

Thanks!

Ray, I do love your balls .... er, you know what I mean!

Don, that's awesome info on the pelts ... (and congrats on your galaxy too!)

Here's a pic of the bag, and some unused headers.

It's possible but I don't want to press. Nancy shared a lot of pictures of a whole lot of Alox items with me: kites, shoelaces, ads inc. one for marbles free with shoelace purchase, factory photos, and more. Her camera is probably worn out. Oh yeah, and a mesh bag with patches and a shooter in among the swirls and a red header I'd never seen before.

The middle bag has 1" sparkler types in it.

Hey I like this thread. lol Since I've already bumped it, let me add science experiments in general, like that marble gun from this article, used for "simulating meteoroid impacts with the lunar surface".

Shooting Marbles At Four Miles A Second

Been reading some more. Bad habit.

A twist on the ball bearing use. Supposedly Master Glass marbles were used for Lazy Susans.

Anyone have a dime ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... and a time machine?