spara50

I would have believed that until I read this thread.

I don't think my set has jokers, have to check. And no case. Hard to find them with the right case / box.

Bob does the fissured surface mean it's old, or a CA sulphide? I'm not sure.

Cool advertisement on eBay showing the kids shooting marbles cards. http://www.ebay.com/...984.m1438.l2649

Uh oh..did someone say California Sulphide? So is Baumann saying that any figure not known prior to 1993 is a CA Sulphide? I'm willing to bet that in the last 10 years more than one unknown figure has popped up. It always amazes me that people think just because something is printed in a book that it's accurate. (No offense Bob) But Baumann, Grist, etc. knowledge of marbles is good, but not gospel. This became glaringly apparent to me after meeting and talking with them.

Many of the dividers in my boxes are old time cards. They are not filled out and do not have a company name on them, but clearly say 'time card' on the top of them. Nothing goes to waste.

That's a really nice box. I would say they all look like Master Marbles. Just my opinion. Beautiful colors.

Lot's of great comments and interesting theories and possibilities for sure. It's strange that the No. 4 Hero and Unique boxes if put out by Master had the Akro Agate logo on them, but it looks like Master did own the copyright. I have never seen a damaged box, and for that matter can't ever remember seeing a loose Hero or Unique by itself. Master started selling Cloudies as early as 1930, so it might be difficult to date these boxes. But it might be hard to argue that Master most likely put these boxes together with the old stock they bought from Akro in 1951. Maybe someone will find out more in the future.

10 of these boxes.

Just got these in last week. 16 (yes 16!) vintage boxes of Akro Agate marbles in Master Marble boxes. All 16 boxes are marked Master Marble No. 2 Cloudy on the sides and ends, but stamped with the Akro Agate HERO stamp on top. 4 boxes are filled with 3 to 5 color corkscrews, 10 are filled with Akro Agate patches. 2 of the boxes have what have been referred to in the past as Master Uniques, but I think are either Akro Heros or Uniques. Interesting group, and I would love to know what the history is behind these and why Master used Akro's in their boxes or vice versa. A few of the boxes have a few 5/8" Master Marbles mixed in. One of the Hero boxes has Comets.

Beautiful!

This article which talks about the UN Poll Observers wondering how the US can possibly keep voter fraud away without asking for ID talks about ways other countries vote. Here is a quote: "In The Gambia, a country in West Africa, each voter is given exactly one marble, which they place in one of the large marble collecting jars that are set up for each candidate. "The polls workers are listening because when the marble goes into the jar, there's a ding. And if there are two dings, maybe somebody came in with extra marbles in their pocket, so they call the police," she said. Asked how Gambians do a recount with the marble-based voting system, McCormick said, "I have no idea." Full article here: http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/11/06/foreign_election_officials_amazed_by_trust_based_us_voting_system

Check out this conversation we had over at LOM in 2004 about this topic. I still believe the first company was Brown Mfg. in Clinton Missouri. http://www.landofmarbles.com/phpbb/showthread.php?4304-Pixie-Chinese-Checkers-Brown-Manufacturing

This is one of my fantasy boxes, and it is clearly printed on the paper under the lid with my name and the date. Craig

I needed some to backfill boxes with.

Must have been a few of you sleeping on this one! Just got these in the mail today. http://www.ebay.com/...cvip=true&rt=nc Or search for item number 261072650549. The really sad thing is I beat another bidder at $10.49. What was he thinking? Craig

It says in the description they are from the 80's. Look like contemps or remelts.

The last year or so at the shows I have been to there has been quite a demand for the end of cane marbles. Prices seem to be doing very well, maybe not what they once were, but still high. Craig

Striped transparent seems to describe them well. They have stripes, and are transparent. More than one color is never present in this style marbles. They have an obvious pattern to them that was put there on purpose, unlike slags whose patterns are almost always random, with a few exceptions. The problem is that both names are already used for another style marble and makes it confusing. I like to call them German striped transparents. Ahh, naming marbles, everyone has an opinion!

I am getting emails from a couple people that still have consignments in his estates possession asking how to get them back. Not sure what to tell them. Craig

Oxblood and more oxblood! Let's see some more! Craig

Pretty sure that's Imperial Glass.

Great information. It seems the labor rates might be a tad inflated. I interviewed an Akro Agate employee who worked there from 1934 to 36 and he made 35 cents and hour or $2.80 a day. It's hard to believe that 20 years before that it was $4 a day. But no wonder the German marbles were so cheap, $4.75 a WEEK for 12 hour days. Yikes. I wonder if the marble grinders mentioned put the ground and faceted pontils on the finished marbles? Thanks for the post, great insight to how far along marble making was in the US even in 1912. Craig

Lawn chair?