J_Ding

Nice examples up there Cheese! That second one, I have the same version more like an auger. Nice to see that color combination in that hybrid snake.

So what do we do with these really wispy corks....where do you put this? Really a Snake, but really not too. John

Oooooh Richard...I'm so sorry...I don't want you do go without the essentials! Seriously though, if you've got food covered then you'll be good... get more marbles, I say. I tend to see my personal budget something along the lines of marble equivalents...along the lines of thinking "If I avoid buying such and so an item, I can get one of those marbles instead..." I can promise you that you'll be happier with the cork in the long run! FYI, you might want to skip the marble I will be posting momentarily, just in case. John

True enough. It gave gave me at least something to start with. It was useful to have this ad as a starting point, but I agree, probably not just a narrow strip always, although I do think the opalescence is in the clear glass. And thanks Steph for the acknowledgment on the shot: getting that first shot would have been tedious under normal working circumstances...but you know, working with marbles, well, just doesn't seem like work.

And a red Ace. This matches well the salesman's sample box above. Harder to see the opalescence here.

Another blue example. No back lighting.

The black example. Center photo is back lit.

I was working through a group of white based corks, specifically looking out for the mysterious, Akro Ace from the early 1930's and found this blue one, that is almost certainly (as certain as I can be) a true Ace. Indeed! I've struggled with the terms Ace which was used by collectors and was used by Akro in that famous ad above, and it appears that terms were not the same type of marble (Ace I've seen applied to so many things I couldn't say if there is a consensus view). I've struggled with their description above, as the few examples that glow orange when lit properly really don't give the appearance of a 'thin strip' of opalescent glass. To make matters worse, is the Ace collectors' name of "Ringer" which I have accepted as essentially a popeye that is missing one color; that is, has wispy white glass, another color, on a partly transparent over-running glass. Yikes! So I bothered to look carefully well over 100 white based corks and/or ringers, and I have found three blue examples, one black, and one red that fits the bill. The following photographs represent my best blue example of a an Ace that matches well the description in the ad above. There does appear to be a ribbon of opalescent glass running through the marble as shown in some these picture--it was a challenge to get. The middle left and right shows the marble without back-lighting, and while these images do not show well the transparent glass over-running the white and blue areas, the movement of the glass is much more dramatic than non Ace corks. The middle image and the bottom and top are back-lit in a way to give the impression of ribbons of opalescence, and it appears that the opal glass is traveling with the transparent and not the white and blue regions. I found also that the red Ace does not show the opalescence quite as well, as the orange glow is interfered a bit with the red ribbons kicking light weirdly all about....however, this one also looks very much like what I learned as a Ringer...or Popeye missing a color. So, everyone, get out your powerful flashlights and search your corks...I still need a green (I didn't really check all of them yet) and an orange. So, five corks out over 100 runs less than 5%; if my sample is representative, this is not a common marble...I wonder if the Great Depression spelled doom for this cork line very early after its debut. I would like to know what you find. John

Working on marble photographs today, out of the heat, music, and an IPA. I really don't need all my marbles to be fancy colorful...monochromes are fine with me, when they have pattern to give away. This one, with the lightest dusting of blue, doesn't need any help. Out of the catacombs, some sort of phantasmagoria. John

Those are crazy nice. Marble envy over here.

Very nice!

Steph is right...Pelt on the bottom...maybe a Green Zebra. Maybe the middle row right is a Euro mushroom. The transparent swirls are very tricky.....best to call those WV swirls until you can find a match. Hope this helps!

Ahhhh...yes! Thanks Steph. That wiki page was interesting! "Marbles marbles marbles marbles marbles," he mutters, and descends into nothingness...

That streak is hard to describe...a bit blue and a bit green depending on lighting and where in the dark ribbon it is. That feature is a bit more prominent 'in hand' than the photograph. I'm going to try another shot of this today to see if I can capture it.

Those are super fine!

Orange orange orange. Funny word when you look at it for long, orange. Sometimes I think Akro pretty much owns orange in mibs (there are others, sure, but Akro orange is, well, orange sometimes). Isn't it? I've had several placeholders of this type of cork for some time, but always wanted something minty fresh, then this one came along. Outside, in the sun, with a loop....wow! (Edit... a bit out of focus...I might reshoot and replace tomorrow)

Thanks....now that you mention it, I see Zaboo in there.

Good to hear. The orange peel and roll tendencies has been an important trait I've used in the past.

Wow Ann, that one is terrific....really like the layout and photos on this. Practically looks like its sitting in front of me just now....(I wish!). Is that Ravenswood?

And a larger single ground pontil mica with a nice ghost core best seen in the left photo.

Here is a nice blue one, with a ground pontil. I tried to show the characteristics of the pontil and the other pole (also working on one with faceted pontils...but haven't got that one right yet.).

I don't wonder why, I think they are terrific.

Ann, I really dig this style too. My example is a little less filled than yours, and even has the green ribbon. I'm crazy about this marble. Also, super nice mossy ones up there Jessica! Wow, that grouping is great! Couldn't we say moss corks or moss snakes with these?

Still in swirl school over here....and I know I have other Ravens in the unknown pile. Of the ones I think/know are Ravens, I know these fluoresce electrically a bit in the orange/red region; but this might not be the brown you are looking for. John

I'm driven quite a bit by novelty and rarity too. But I pay attention to common types too and some I like for some reason...informs my sense of how rare a marble might be. Interestingly, rarity seems a second cousin (frequently) to market forces in the world of collectibles over here.