Geordies Liggies

Thanks sclsu, I'm afraid that I don't have access to a copy of Marble Mania. I will try to correct that asap, and checout the pics. In the meantime, any other members who do have access to Marble Mania: what's your view, are there similarities? Thanks again sclsu, I really appreciate your help on this, Steve

Hi Chris, Welcome to the group. I'm sure that you'll find the members a knowlegable and helpful bunch. I know that I have. Steve

Hi Hoody, Many thanks for your efforts on my behalf. It is greatly appreciated. 😁 I doubt that we will ever know for sure, unless something similar turns up infuture. Danke schon, Steve

Secong opinion received: definitely not signed.

Hi Hoody and Sissydear, Many thanks for your replies. The probable reason that Germany was favoured by those few who replied to my request, is likley to be down to the fact that the antique dealer was from Bad Lobenstein, in Germany. The dealer described the marbles as 'old' and 'original'. In an e-mail he told me that they had come from the German equivalent of an estate sale. Also, that they were 'found between floorboards' (always the sort of comment which makes me doubtful). Both marbles do have pontils. The latticino marble is 35mm diameter, and appears to have 1 melted pontil and 1 ground pontil. Both are small. The marble is reasonably spherical, but has one obviously flattened area (which does not coincide with either pontil). Pictures showung pontils are below: This second marble is 33mm diameter. It has 1 ground pontil, which has not quite flattened the raised point at which it was cut from the cane. I cannot see a pontil at the other end, though I can feel a slight irregularity to the touch. Both marbles are a lot less perfect than any contemporary American Marbles which I have, and I cannot see ant signature, using a 10x loupe. My eyes aren't great, I'll ask my wife or daughters to get a second opinion. All and any opinions valued. Steve

I recently purchased a couple of marbles from an antiques dealer on e-bay. I posted these recently on the Marble ID form and got a small number of replies. The consensus of opinion was that they may be contemporary German marbles. I was wondering whether any of our German members might recognize the (quite striking) style, and be able to identify the maker. All suggestions welcome (not just from German members!). Danke schon, Steve

As requested. Two fairly non-descript Indian marbles. Steve

Thanks Winnie, that's a beaty, with just about 360 degree coverage. I'm afraid that neither of my Indians are particularly attractive, nor in mint condition. In fact, they look better in the dark with the torch on! Still, they fill a space in my collection until something better comes along. Steve

Cheers Steph, I'll do just that. Steve

Before this post disappears into the annals of time, could I take one last opportunity to ask any German members whether they are aware of any contemporary marble makers in Germany, who produce work that resembles this marble. Danke schon Steve

Hi Anne, The pictures, as promised. Steve

Thanks Anne, that's very gratifying to hear. I guess, to a great extent, how pale the base glass looks depends on how bright the torch is, but under a strong light both blue and green bases (particularly the green) are very pale. If you can view my gallery, it will give youa better idea of the colours. Failing that, I will pop onto the PC tomorrow and try attaching them to this thread. (The cats are asleep, for the night, in the study and I don't want to wake them 😁) Steve

Sorry, cannot locate 'My media' on my phone. Will try PC tomorrow. May need Steph's assistance.

From what I have read, the most common colour for the base glass in Indian maglites is dark red or dark amethyst. I only have a couple of Indian's in my collection, one of which has a dark blue base and one a dark green. Can anyone give me an idea how common this is? The marbles are pictured in my gallery (named misc), sitting on a strong torch to give an idea of the colours. The colour fidelity of the camera isn't exact, with the gree base glass looking more like an icy blue. I'll attach them onto this post once I remember how. 😞 Steve

Thanks Steph, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I have just found a video of AC/DC's Brian Johnson (a fellow Geordie) singing 'Wor Geordie's lost his liggy'. I suspect that you will struggle to pick-up the marble references, or any of the words for that matter, as much of it is in Geordie dialect. Enjoy!

Thanks kbobam. 😁

"One of the few newbies to sound like a genuinely and thoroughly nice person". Thanks a bunch, kbobam! 😡(just joking) Oh, and welcome fentonacres, your grandfather looks like he had quite a collection.Hope that you are enjoying the board as much as I am. 😁 Steve

A little more concerning terms for marbles used in the Geordie dialect, from Tyneside in NE England. Liggies is an abbreviation of lignum vitae. Boodies were clay marbles. The penka was a large marble (up to 2.5 inches, used as a target). Other terms used include marvils, muggles, alleys, parper, scudder and taws. Blood alleys had red in the glass and snot alleys had white. A pop-alley was a pop bottle stopper used as a marble. Source: A dictionary of North-east dialect 3rd Edition - Northumbria Press.

Hi Steph and Ann, I was recently pointed in the direction of the Morphy Auction listings by member MattShaw1953 (who also suggested the Marble Connection site). As for Baumann's book, no, I have not come across that one before. I'll do a bit of searching online and see if I can pick up a copy. Sound like a resource I need. Many thanks for the tips, I really appreciate receiving them.

It sounds like a very useful resource Steph.

Hi Ron/Steph, That sounds like an excellent idea, but I would suggest that we may be jumping the gun in declaring these marbles as 'fakes'. At present, the most that we have established is that the marbles are probably contemporary but were described by the seller as old. So far, my internet searches have revealed no sign of matching or similar marbles being offered for sale elsewhere. I cannot even find images of these marbles in any context other than my purchase on e-bay and subsequent rewuest for help with an ID on this site. If the same, or similar, marbles start to appear on e-bay etc. then I will be happy to post these as fakes. Until such time, I'd prefer to consider them one-off's with an unknown pedigree. 😁 Hope that this seems reasonable, Steve

Hi JerryG, hope you enjoy your rekindled love of marbles (and your retirement). Steve

Thanks machinemades, You make a good point, the pontils are probably one of the main areas where you can see a difference. As both this and the other marble I have posted for ID are both obviously handmade, why is this? It would seem to indicate that different methods of manufacture, or at least 'cutting', are being used. Can you elaborate at all? Many thanks, Steve

Thanks Steph, your instructions were fool-proof (as you have seen).