Mikie_T

VERY nice! Are the specs I see in the clear glass in there on purpose to make the marble sparkle? Love that marble. Another of mine:

Ahhhhhhh I see..... So the copper used to make the green is what you are seeing. Thanks Steph. Mike

I love looking at Oxblood marbles. I have a scarce few but I know you guys and gals have some nice ones. Here is a pic of 3 of mine..... I will kick in more as the thread continues. Mike

Thanks Steph.... That is why I wanted to have you look at these. I thought that sure was a lot of "movement" for an older marble but it the consensus was older, then I was on it. Yes, I am afraid it is a mix of old and new. Thanks again. Mike

Hey y'all. I am looking at a small bunch of marbles I might buy. Over half are real common looking but 3 in particular got my attention. These are the pics from the seller so this is the best I can do. Do these (a). look old... or (b). look like newer marbles? I like the swirls..... I am a swirl junkie. What say ye?

Cool marble.... Definitely a keeper. Mike

COOL..... I will have to find that video. Thanks! Mike

Thanks so much for that explanation of the marble making process. I am getting a mental picture now about how marbles were made. This along with the explanation of the "whites" is starting to make sense. I am loving this thread..... lots of lights coming on now. Mike

Great explanation wvrons..... Thanks so much! Now I am beginning to see the whole picture. More studying to do. Mike

OK.... so that is why the white glass is usually whiter in a slag....right? Now, when a marble company was making a marble did they most of the time use the method in this video for making a marble? This video looks really simplified because it doesn't really tell how they got the separate strands of color in the base glass. looks like all they did was dump glass into a furnace and out came the marble. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Mike

OK, Now that I read again I see that the WHITE GLASS came from Vitrolite. Possibly failed cold cream jars. (or whatever) SO, your's are failed Heaton marbles.... right? Hence the "cullet"..... (is a cullet just a clump of glass?) Sorry, I hope you are not getting frustrated with me but I really am learning a lot here. Thanks for taking the time.... Let me see if I am grasping this...... Glass was made by somebody from raw materials..... Then, the marble companies would get glass in "cullets" and then use that to make marbles.

So I understand... This is a cullet that was going to be Vitro marbles but since they failed, they were in route to be sold to Heaton so THEY could be used in their marble making. Now, the glass in this cullet could not be separated into blue glass and white glass....... So........ Heaton would just melt it and use it a recipe some way? Mike (This is interesting stuff!)

Thanks so much for this marble making lesson. The light is beginning to come on. (Still kinda dim but coming on) Mike

OK.... I think I see a hint of some marble manufacturing practices here. I had NO IDEA this was how it was done....... WOW.... so sometimes the glass used for marbles was "rejected" glass from other glass manufacturers.... I have also seen cullets available for sale on ebay and had no idea how they played into the marble making process. SO.... these cullets were glass rejects from use in making a vase or some other glass product? COOL!! Mike EDIT**.... So I understand, SLAG glass was made by the marble manufacturer?.... correct? Swirl glass was bought that way?

No, after another read from start to finish through the thread, I am still confused. I need to see (videos......???) or better understand, some of these manufacturing methods so I can better understand "pots" and "injecting" of glass. I guess I don't feel so bad about not understanding the difference. It even sounds to me like the ones who know even have a hard time with identification sometimes. Like this marble of mine....... Swirl or slag?

This is a bit scary if you have doubts Steph. The post above sounds like one of the best definitive explanations I am reading..... One thing I see in the batch that you posted Steph is that all the white glass looks like a thin band of glass. Well..... on second look, I see a couple that have about as much white glass as they do colored base glass...... Mike I think this is one of mine that has been labeled a slag....

Not sure. I like the marbles and the price was right so I am happy. I don't want to step into the quagmire of finger pointing. I don't know the guy that sold me the marbles and he does have 100% good feedback. So...... I have no beef with this fellow. I just fugured y'all knew this guy as a source or Champions. Mike

Maybe I am having a hard time following the "wording" of everyone's description of a slag or a swirl. Maybe post a pic to support your explanation. I am sure I need to understand how each type was made. That might help. Mike

SO, .......I think my picture is really bad and makes it hard for you to determine slag vs swirl. (if I can get my head around the definition of a slag, I could help you) I think I see your point here ..... is it the base glass color that makes this one hard to identify? Without a magnified (clear) view I can't say if the white glass has that "dip" you are speaking of. Mike

So Steph, are you saying that the ribbon in a swirl has a distinct "sharp" edge? And maybe that the ribbon in a slag has an edge that "fades" into the background glass? Just throwing things against the wall to see if anything sticks...... Mike

Uhhhhhhh.... O...K.... Yes, maybe a few more examples...... (yep, hint - hint) And does the difference come from the cane used or the machine that made them? Mike

I'm sure y'all know but I am confused. What is the difference between a slag and a swirl? Steph said slags are pre 1930 (right?) and (edit) swirls (edit) are post 1930..... SO, it this a manufacturing difference? Please help me understand the difference if you think you can.....LOL. Mike

Well, I can see I need a black light so I can answer questions like this. I did learn a new trick with my cell phone. I don't suppose it has a "black light mode"...... does it? ......LOL. When I first picked this marble out of the batch I was checking, I sure was hoping it was an oxblood.... but, it wasn't....oh well. WV swirl but NOT Akro... I guessed wrong again. More to learn. Mike

OK.... I put this marble on my I phone light (nice little socket for the marble to sit in) and the color is a deep purple (even tho it looks black). I can see the swirls of white glass go deep into the base glass. The white glass is very thin and whispy almost like smoke. I have been taking my pics lately with my phone so I can't use the light and take a pic..... LOL. Does this help any with the I.D.? Mike (I want to try this "inside light" technique on some of my other marbles. It sure looks cool)

Just a guess but is this an Akro? it measures at between 9/16" and 5/8" so about 19/32". I this I have seen this color of green glass on Akros (correct?) Love those swirls! Sorry for the bad pics..... I can't seem to get a good pic lately.