crashbelt

Here's another couple of lots of swirls I've picked up in the UK over the years.

I must admit I share your doubts about the age of the board - I've never seen another 19th C example like it. But the GPs really look like a set - real consistency of design and size. I'd put them on an authentic 19th C board if I ever had the good fortune to own such a great set!!!

Thanks Ric I've never seen a GP set before - great to see.

Very interesting - I'd love to see that solitaire board.

That is very beautiful. My measuring jugs are easy to find in the UK and inexpensive and I believe are English or French made. They're likely Victorian which fits well with the age of the marbles. Sorry everyone for the slight digression on Thuringen Thursday!!!

I accumulated a few swirls over the years to fill odd gaps in original solitaire boards. I have no gaps now so the swirls live in vintage apothecarys' measuring jugs. I like them because they're handmade glass just like the marbles.

I gathered one example of each of the different colour mica boards I have for a group shot. All found in the UK in the 90s so likely all original. They are green light amber dark amber (brown) aqua blue cobalt blue clear and purple. Now wheres the red one

Yes Ric - we used to go to the Edinburgh Festival every year. Back in the 90s it was a good hunting ground for solitaire boards and German marbles. We still go but haven't had a good find in years. I'm just so lucky to have been collecting in the UK 20-30+ years ago!!

Here's where my collection started! 1991 wandering around Edinburgh antique shops, one Summer during the annual festival, came across this for not much £££s. Back then I just had one small jar of Germans! I had no idea I'd scored a very fine early John Jaques mahogany board with mint faceted 11/16" swirls. It looked so beautiful I was hooked and the rest is solitaire board history. Happy Thuringen Thursday and I should add that having now posted my 50 or so best boards here at Marble Connection I'll have to start thinking of new angles for my Thursday posts (or find more boards.....................)

I had a very nice spare mahogany board with bun feet. Funny that this set is now in much better shape than when I posted it yesterday!! Thanks Ric. I've read about pictures showing the game being played in France in late 1600s. I've seen images of British boards from early1800s but they're peg not marble solitaire. I've heard of a Grenier original set which would presumably be the oldest glass marble solitaire. Some of the fanciest are the Staffordshire Potteries ceramic boards like the one with Lutzes in Stan Blocks Marble Mania book p37. But I think that was a peg board too with Lutzes added later. I've never seen an original Scrimshaw but it's somewhere if it survives. It would be great if someone here has seen one!!!

Yes Ric - it does have nautical images and the words E Pluribus Unum and John Adams. I think its probably resin, like the faux ivory Scrimshaws, but modelled and coloured to imitate slate. Thanks for clearing this up! I might change the marbles on to a spare board of the right age.

Interesting theory Ric. Certainly the WSSpear boards had the 'red man' (dyed clay) in the centre hole because the surviving boxes refer to it in the rules. I don't know of other documented examples but I couldn't resist grabbing a match from the stash and popping the lutz in the middle!!

I bought these 32 marbles without a board many years ago. Almost certainly from an original set - 32 x 9/16" marbles. Same colours, pontils etc. The only surprise is the one Lutz - my hunch is that it may well have been originally part of the set but I'll never know. I've only ever seen two original all Lutz boards - one in a Stan Block book and one owned by my board collector pal Tom. I put this set on a spare imitation (I think) slate board I had. I don't know anything about it so welcome any thoughts.

Here's another probably original set with mixed micas.

Here's an unusual board. Its the Snail Game, sometimes seen on the reverse side of solitaire boards. But this is the only one I've seen on its own board with bun feet. The gold decoration indicates its by FHAyres. The marbles aren't original to the board. But as the game is played by up to 6 players chasing to the centre, I've put 6 different colour micas on it

I'd want to release those bennies from their confinement!

Here's the only really big marble I have - 2 1/4" tri-level swirl. Found in an antique shop in the remote Scottish Highlands 20 years ago - wonder how it got there!!!

Beautiful example Ric - I've never seen one as good.

I recently got this rare Nine Mens Morris board which I've filled with swirls from my stash.

Stunning - one of the missing links in my collection!!

Funny thing is that I didn't spot the alternating blue/white latts until I received the board and looked really close up at the 2 marbles. Sometimes you just get lucky

A boxed Chad Valley solitaire set with almost certainly original pee wees. The board is very crudely made stained pine. But the marbles are nicely made, including 2 same cane red latts in divided ribbon form and 2 same cane alternating blue/white latts. I've seen this kind of quality mismatch before on later period Chad Valley sets.

Big day for me. Got to complete this board with 17mm green micas It was my only incomplete board left so very happy.

Great condition Chad - I find that Indians' surface bands of coloured glass tend to chip and flake easily. This on's perfect!!.

Sometimes Ayres used a mix of coloured pee wee micas on their compendium boards.