Gina Macias

Hi, I missed all of you, the camaraderie, the kindness and it feels like a family to me. Thank you all for being so nice and welcoming. I logged on one night when I could escape Nurse Ratchet (Husband) because I had FOMO and I saw what a commotion was started over my post about my foolhardiness when buying my first marbles and what that child said about me. I cried and considered never logging back into here, however she would have won, so I am back and I think you all will be proud when I show you what I’ve learned and what I’ve purchased while in the Blue Ridge Mountains. If I’ve already worn out my welcome, I understand, I never meant to cause such a hassle for everyone. Thank you to all and I hope I am still a member because I really like you all and want to learn more and be a part of this group. Steph, Chad, Bumblebee, my thanks to you and I apologize for causing you extra work. Gina

Aww, that tugged at my heartstrings, Chad, it’s so hard to lose a lifelong friend. Just know you always carry a piece of them in your heart and the memories will never die. I too, would value that marble he gave you as priceless. 

I’m so sorry you all are having to go through this. I’m used to humid heat which is the worst (Virginia) (Florida)and Southwest dry heat which I love and the husband likes it cold so, you could hang meat in my house and I am in sweats and it is 90 degrees outside today. I love it in the northwest-I cannot imagine roads buckling and no air central air. When I was there it was so beautiful and lush-verdant. I love rain too! 

Umm, they look so nice, I miss walking out back and being able to pick fruit or veggies fresh from my parent’s gardens and orchards, wash it off with the hose and eating it right off the vine! Those peppers look yummy, my father favored cayenne but we grew the hotter ones for my mother and me to eat! Produce never tastes that fresh anymore. Childhood memories…….

The husband and I are going on a little holiday before my eye surgery on Monday.We are going to the Shenandoah Mountains and I’m making him stop at every antique store we pass and there is a lot, so maybe I’ll score something good! I will be saying goodbye for now and will miss the group. I will definitely have FOMO. I do not know how long before I will be back it depends on the corneas- so take care and thank you all for your assistance and I hope I haven’t been too much of a pain. It is really an honor to be in a group with so many wonderful, seasoned collectors. Ive learned so much and still know so little! Happy Friday and enjoy your weekends. I’ll be seeing you! Happy marbling!

2 hours ago, William said:

My 3 critters....first picture is Whiskers (always have to have a cardboard box for him lol), second picture is Baby Girl...she's older, around 10 years. Whiskers is actually her son and he's 4 years. Third picture is Uno, a bulldog/hunting dog mix. She's 4 years old and a registered service animal for Patty. I had 3 other cats before these guys moved into my house 2 years ago. That would be the fourth picture, Dominique (white) and his sister Gabriel (black). I had them from 1996 until 2015 when they passed. My third kitty back then was Brittney, a miniature calico (sorry can't find a pic) who was a outdoor save when she was 3 months old in 2001. Lost her to age in 2017. Enjoyed the pet sharing you guys!

They’re all beautiful William.

4 hours ago, mibcapper said:

and what a time it was ron. up the creek squeeling and bleeding ... bumping a few noggins ... remember .. lol .... so many new discoveries. to say ... wild and wonderful west virginia ... is all that's needed. be well my friend ... bill

Wow, I hadn’t seen those marbles, some beauties. Thank you for sharing your memories. 

11 hours ago, wvrons said:

The Pennsboro WV Alley dig was my dream of a lifetime. Not enough words can describe it. You had to be there. It would have been nice to had time and been able to document more of what happened. But that just was not possible. Once we found the mother load, we had to stay with it. We could not leave it for other people to find. We divided up and worked twelve hour shifts, twenty four hours a day for four days and three nights. Nola and myself worked at the hole from 7am until 7pm. Bill McCaleb and Griff worked from 7pm until 7am. When our shifts were over we had to eat, over a hour drive home, clean up, sleep, and do it again the next day. We got exhausted as the days and nights went on and tempers got short. Glad it happened then and not now. I could not physically do it now.  Lots of days there was not room for another bucket of Alley marbles or cullet in the back of my pickup truck. If only we could have had more time ? But we saved many thousands of 1930's Alley marbles. 

 Now the site is filled over and much of it covered with limestone. 

Before

 

I cannot fathom how hard that was. I am so impressed and happy you got to experience that.

14 hours ago, Chad G. said:

I still think it's a Jabo, if so $1.00, maybe that's why the came down from 390.00 to $130.00 so fast, that's over 2/3 of asking !! I'd definitely wait for others to chime in on this one "I" believe it to be a very common "Jabo" it has all the characteristics of one. A high price doesn't always mean a rare marble, I always look at their other items as well and see if the same carries through all their items !! I just looked at their store "Do Not Buy This Marble" : https://www.ebay.com/itm/143999985188?_trkparms=  : I would bet on it being a Jabo, no way a Christensen, a ripoff same with their other marbles, even if the naming is correct the prices are jacked up 400 percent or more, I thought I recognized that mib. They are flagged as Questionable sellers on the other forum for a reason. Glad I looked 

Thanks Chad, is there a forum for “questionable seller’s?” To me, it’s not logical to reduce something that drastically, that is a “tell” that it is not real. I think some of them, (in the case of the seller I purchased from)look at more expensive listings of a “real” marble from a good company and reputable dealer, find a reasonable cheaper facsimile in their collection and post it with the real marble’s description. I know he tried to pass off a D.A.S. Alley Agate Silverback shooter as an MF Christensen with Mica. I was rather proud I was able to ascertain that! 

41 minutes ago, wvrons said:

Chads picture is what most collectors I know consider a Akro liberty.  Gina's is a Akro corkscrew. Probably translucent base and has wrong color blue and red for Akro Liberty.   If you stretch what the base is, stretch both colors, It is still not a Akro liberty for me. Maybe some people can stretch any kind of white, red and blue Akro into a Akro liberty, but not for me. Gina's cork has nothing, not one matching color that Chad's picture has. Opaque white is much different for me than translucent white.  Even if the base matched the red and blue are wrong for Akro Liberty.  

I was wondering about the color order as well, thank you for the clarification. It’s a nice marble, so I’m sorry if I offended you by calling it a Liberty. I have a lot to learn. 

Can’t get over Tubby and Sissy, they look like they may be hiding some of those lost marbles you may be missing! So adorable. When we lived in Florida, I had so many animals, the husband said unless it is a unicorn DO NOT BRING HOME ANOTHER PET! Never found that unicorn, still looking….

Believe me, cats refuse to allow you to do anything they don’t approve of, I’m thinking they are secretly our overlords! Dogs are so much more accommodating, I love them all! 

7 minutes ago, Chad G. said:

Ah !! I see you have one also !! I have 2 marble counting partners, that is I can count on looking for marbles after they are present & I don't keep an eye on them.

The leader of the deceptive duo "Tubby" 

And his mother and instigator "Sissy" As you know we can't let those innocent eyes fool us (or can we ?? )

Notice the absence of any marbles around them for some strange reason !!

 “Those eyes, that look-simply irresistible! Thank you, I love little “helpers!” 

Mum spent so much time, sorting through bags, so I’m here to help!

9 minutes ago, Gina Macias said:

That’s what I thought, that’s a big discount. This big of a “discount”  is circumspect, to me a big red flag. 

At my age I am still so naive and expect everyone to be congenial and truthful. I just cannot fathom liars and cheats. Why do you do it and “how do you sleep?” Notice I got a Lennon song lyric in! For the music lovers. 

1 hour ago, Chad G. said:

I still think it's a Jabo, if so $1.00, maybe that's why the came down from 390.00 to $130.00 so fast, that's over 2/3 of asking !! I'd definitely wait for others to chime in on this one "I" believe it to be a very common "Jabo" it has all the characteristics of one. A high price doesn't always mean a rare marble, I always look at their other items as well and see if the same carries through all their items !! I just looked at their store "Do Not Buy This Marble" : https://www.ebay.com/itm/143999985188?_trkparms=  : I would bet on it being a Jabo, no way a Christensen, a ripoff same with their other marbles, even if the naming is correct the prices are jacked up 400 percent or more, I thought I recognized that mib. They are flagged as Questionable sellers on the other forum for a reason. Glad I looked !!

That’s what I thought, that’s a big discount. This big of a “discount”  is circumspect, to me a big red flag. 

On 6/9/2021 at 3:14 PM, Fire1981 said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143999985188?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20180816085401%26meid%3D5a4c046d503546aba2fe2337cce83d5c%26pid%3D100970%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D11%26sd%3D363427009163%26itm%3D143999985188%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26brand%3DChristensen+Agate&_trksid=p2380057.c100970.m5481&_trkparms=pageci%3Abe3b274b-c956-11eb-a211-f634977e7ced|parentrq%3Af2316d001790a12b7c9824e2fffcbaf4|iid%3A1

I wanted to let you know I liked this marble on eBay and the seller offered it to me for 129.99. That is quite a discount, what do you think? Thank you again for all of your help and kindness. It is appreciated more than you know.

40 minutes ago, I'llhavethat1 said:

What is the actual size?  OP says 9"?

 

To me it looks like MFC.  Pictures are wonky, probably showing a green tinge etc that aren't really there. 

9” and I apologize for the wonky photos, I’m shaky and can’t see well, which aren’t two qualities you look for in a good photographer. Sorry.

1 hour ago, Chad G. said:

I believe that's why were all here to further this hobby through the mutual gathering & sharing of information in our search for Provenance. Good Friends, Good memories with many more to come !! No place I'd rather be (almost)

 

Same here! (Almost too!) I chatted with Bob on eBay and he sold the sand last week! Wah wah. However, he is getting more from the same consignor in the next day or two- so maybe. A very nice gentleman, thank you so much for sending me to a reputable seller. 

I have to show off the babies!

3 hours ago, Steph said:

In our forearms we're supposed to have two bones.  The kitty orthopedist said that Punkin is missing all or part of one of the bones, in each arm.

 

This is not something that is likely to be fixable.  Months of uncomfortable treatment _might_ result in some improvement, but the vet recommends just letting Punkin be Punkin, keeping his nails trimmed for him, and periodically checking his arms for sores from how he runs on them.   So that is the plan. 

 

 

Aww, Steph Punkin is lucky to have you. 

1 minute ago, Chad G. said:

The marbles & everything else in my gallery albums is from my collection, yes !!  I hope the info comes in handy for you Gina ?? I try to draw and pass on info from trustworthy & known sources but everyone makes a boo - boo once in a while. If you use the search bar we have, almost anything marble related will pop up with several posts, some are old but still viable & quite accurate.

Chad, you have been a wealth of information for me and I sincerely appreciate it. Monday after surgery, I’ll be going nuts, unable to get on my iPad or computer to see what’s happening. FOMO! Again, thank you for the invaluable information, you’ve provided. It is indeed a pleasure, every single member I’ve encountered, has been considerate and kind. It is a wonderful group.

32 minutes ago, Chad G. said:

No I don't own the layered sand. I don't collect Christensen anymore, I stuck with Alley, Peltier, Akro & German handmades and a few other transitional & machine made manufacturers. I sold. traded & gave away all the Christensen I had away last year except for a few. The Christensen layered sand I showed a picture of belongs to "Bob Block" who runs the MCSA  (Marble Collectors Society of America)  site.

I believe the marble is still for sale ?? I'll give the link again. His phone number is posted there & contact info. I have talked with him several times on the phone and he was only to happy to answer my questions. Ebay user id and link is also there if you want to view his mibs & stuff he has for sale, 90% marbles.

LINK : https://www.marblecollecting.com/marble-collectors-society-of-america/

 

 

Well from the gallery page, you have a fabulous collection. You know what I was confusing Popeyes with and they look nothing alike-bullseyes. Yes, thank you for the links, I have been drooling over his marbles too. 

Aww.. You guys made me cry… memories of this guy, my beloved older brother. I was just a little girl, but he was my world! Gone much too soon.

22 hours ago, Fire1981 said:

It does look Vintage to me. Check this site out. It has good info on hand gathered marbles. 

marblecollecting.com

Thank you so much.