Sword44

Very nice topic and links, thank you!

Hi, I thought that these were Heaton packages. The catseyes in the bag don't look Bogard to me and Heaton made pretty generic cats in colors that look a lot like those. I think they're Heaton. Sword44

Delbert brought up a topic that gets too little notice in the marble world in his recent post "Fugly 3/4" Shooter Id Help. Please" I speak, of course, of Fugly marbles. Delbert got it right; his marble is a good, almost prototypical example of a Fugly. Fuglys are characterized by poor pastel pairings and are widely collected as bad examples of nearly every manufacturer. Peltier Muddies are true Fuglys. Vitro and Jabo Fuglied up for years. Fugly values are in inverse proportion to size. A 3/4" Fugly, for instance, is worth less than a 5/8" Fugly. A single peewee Fugly will bring more than several pounds of Fugly shooters. Prominent Fugly collectors include a small group of balding topless waitresses in Dubuque and Ed Begley Jr. Its time to get your Fuglys out of the closet! Anxiously awaiting the Steph's Study Hall Fugly tutorial, Sword44

Lee is very knowledgeable, helpful, and a pillar of the marble community. I'd say that if you have a question about the bag, ask Lee. I'm sure he'll tell you whatever he knows about it; Lee is not out selling fake bags to make a quick buck. Roger

Bo, I was gonna bid on them but a Voice told me that you wanted them. I think it was God because any of the alternatives are too scary to contemplate. They look very beautiful and very rare. Another Voice tells me that you may gloat over them for five minutes; any longer and you have to sell them to me. Gotta go, the Voices say it is time for ice cream. Congrats! Roger

Mike, Thank you for writing about the entertainment you get from your collections. You are so right; its all good. Its all good. Its all good. Roger

I may be wrong (31 times today and counting) but I had the strong impression that the recent Jabo runs were done primarily for the opportunity to particpate and get some great swirls by Dave, and, perhaps, secondarily, as an investment. We should all know by now that the marble market fluctuates and that marble (like other) investments that turn out well are a product of luck good timing. The Jabo runs haven't poisoned the well, they've created many beautiful marbles and a lot of enjoyment. Buy what you like and then you'll have no call to complain. Roger

Whatta loada crap. Its a modern Vacor/Mega. It is out-of-round because that was how it was manufactured (just like kazillions of other marbles). Ron is sooo right; you couldn't flatten a marble with frequent applications of your thumb for, say, some period measured in geologic time. Do not introduce your sister to this seller. Naturally these are just, as they say, my humble opinions.

I've got some rock candy that looks just like those "fancy Benningtons". Try the taste test. Vintage Benningtons taste like Navarre's; the "new" ones taste like Peltier Patches. I've sold off my vintage Benningtons and replaced them with the rock candy "Benningtons" which are cheaper, look the same, and taste the best. Roger

Thanks, Lloyd, for your remembrance of Larry Castle; it makes him a real person for those of us who hadn't met him. I've been grateful for the catseye research and the book he and Marlowe Peterson published, not only for the information and pictures but because they didn't let popular perception of the despised catseye stop them from bringing attention to some beautiful marbles. With respect for every one of the marble-lovers who care enough to further marble knowledge and enable their fellow collectors, (and you know who you are), Roger

Winnie's second marble is a Master Marble Sunburst on a red base.... mmmmm good! Her first marble is either also a Master Sunburst (first guess from here) or a very cool foreign marble, best guess Japanese. Either way, lip smacking! Roger

Wow, you guys! The box and marble pouch and marbles are just great! I'm glad you made 'em for Mr. Miggles; sometimes I go to his website just to drool. Most people forget how satisfying drooling is by the time they are 3-4 months old but not me. Never forgets, Roger

There is a story that the "Codd" bottles without marbles were an early version of a condiment jar and originally contained salt water and anchovies. When you wanted anchovies on your pizza you just turned the bottle upside down (like a ketchup bottle) and poured yourself a few. This type apparently came without marbles as it was felt that the marbles would bruise the fish. Roger

Boy, great topic, great information. I just buy 'em; haven't yet seen any made at all. I think that Sue is right, method and medium take a back seat to beauty for me. That said, I have spent time with Ro Purser at the last two IAMC shows and what he puts into his marbles is beyond anything one can imagine. He transcends technique, and true art is the result. Roger

I think that in the fine print on the bottle it suggests that the tequila should first be decanted before serving to children under three. Roger

Very similar construction indeed. I just pulled out my Vitro Whities and I cannot see any difference in construction between them and the picture above. I have two with bands of the same green, one of which has light aventurine. The one without aventurine even has the same little yellow ribbon at the edge of the green band. I have noticed that there are two types of (what I have been calling and buying as) Whities. One type is opaque white, as above, with an equatorial colored ribbon or band. The second type is clear-based with a white surface and a colored equatorial band. Often there are gaps in the white surface and one can see into the clear interior of this type. Perhaps some of these marbles are Kokomos and I just don't know the difference, but the opaque- vs. clear-base is the only difference apparent to me. Would Peltier machines produce marbles with Vitro construction? Am I a closet Kokomo collector? Roger

Al, Thanks so much for posting these wonderful Master packaging pictures. I've never seen the Uniques (marbles or packaging) in the wild and wouldn't have been able to identify the red, yellow, and white patches in your first post as Master Marble. Really fun graphics on the packaging! Thanks again, Roger

Oh boy, great thread. Steph, love that Worlds Fair picture (thanks Steve!). I too think that the shooter in the bag is a patch as I have a one inch and a 23/32 with the same colors and they appear to be big Cloudies, that is they have translucent/transparent base glass with patches of color rather than filaments of color. And the what-if Q, Steph, about a Master possibly larger than one-inch, well, if it looked like a Sunburst but was 1.2 inches I'd probably quickly ask some of the other Master collectors, but would be tempted to believe my eyes since I know of no Sunburst lookalike in that size either. If I wanted it (and I would!) I'd pay what it took. Ahem... you haven't found one have you dear friend? Jane, love the pink/peach glass. MG did some fun things with colored base glass. John, did you say a TUB? The PURPLE MASTER in a TUB? Here in the foothills, John, we use plastic tubs for bathing our livestock and we send all the marbles that might otherwise go into them to our friends. Dani, I would never store marbles in a tub. No. Roger

Purple base?? I am now officially whining. Roger

Nice thread. But then, any thread with Master Marbles is a good thread, IMHO. Regarding Steph's Q - I haven't seen any Masters larger than one inch. But I'd like to! I agree with John's size percentages, the only addition to the 1% being 17/32 and smaller marbles. I have a 17/32 Sunburst but haven't ever seen a classic peewee Master (1/2 inch or under) excepting clearies. Elizabeth, those are luscious! Uh, Bo.... a yellow 1" with aventurine and a 1" Tigereye? And true peewee (still a theory for me) Sunbursts? And another thing.... you don't mean that you've seen (or own!) Masters with either pink or purple base glass, do you? Filaments, yes, and I'd guess you're right about those filament colors being the most rare. I think that the deep Master red is most rare in base glass, unless of course you have <gasp> pink or purple base glass - do you, do you? If so, can you post pictures? Please don't make me start whining. Roger Sword44

Dani, thank you! This is one of the most beautiful marble pages on the web. I hope that everyone sees it. Roger

Carole, Great comparison. Why don't you e-mail Marblealan and see if he'd like to use this picture when his site goes back up? Comparisons in the same pic are so much more instructive! Sword44

Your posts are welcome! Backlit, this sub's blue turns white and the yellow-orange turns red? Oh my. And golly. Don't stop posting, Carole. Roger

Ernie, Dani! Wow! This pic should go on the IAMC site in the new Marble ID pages we should have! We could call this new section "Worth Drooling Over." Then I would feel better about having to cover my keyboard with a washcloth. Unfortunately, I am volunteering you for this task (where's Lee when you need him?) as I've no skills in this area. But I really, really like those Alleys. Great job, great pic. You guys are the best. Roger Shelton

OK, has anyone seen this before? Or have I just not been paying attention? Huh? Roger