akroorka

Great light box and a great marble as well Chad. If anyone out there is not familiar with these, you will be if you start looking. Akro made a lot of them and I cannot ever get enough. The crystal are quite common although some slags were made--I have a green/white combo. No marks makes them a cheap purchase. They are candle holders that are made perfect for holding big marbles--a 5/8 will stand on top nicely but I would not go much smaller. They were made to reflect/collect light . Some of the coolest crystal glass items by Akro to look at IMHO, simple but well made, they feel polished. The images show a 1 3/8 corkscrew on top for reference. I have a 2 1/4 inch handmade that sits on it quite comfortably--at least in Wisconsin home of very few earthquakes. Display--On!!!

For sure check this glass out--especially if you are into spooky cats with red glass eyes. Good job lads!! Atterbury---on!!

It could be "pressed glass". Sometimes on the parts that protrude you can see mold marks from the wooden dies that these were made in--look for wood grain. Those parts were harder to "polish smooth". I have never seen a patent date like this. If it says "pickle" then it is a pickle dish and the slots were intended to hold a pickle fork. Folks back then were really into pickles of all kinds because they kept well I suppose. Pickle--on!!

Chad, The last two images show what looks like a "tail" that folded to the inside of the marble---just sayin. Can't see where it starts. Put it on a light box and study it some more. The color does remind me of the "BIG" MFC slags that I can never see enough of. Marble--on!!

"opaque oxblood orange phase" Interesting to say the least. I have a "orange MFC brick" --- at least that is what I called it to myself since I aquired it. I will try to get some decent images of it posted in the days to come. Marble--on!!

Gladys, This is the one I think that Ron is talking about that I circled below. Don't feel bad about the brownish one, it is still a nice marble but not a Pistachio as Ron suggests. These nice colored Alleys have fooled me before. The original marble posted is still a great one to hold in the sunlight, it wants to glow under UV like no other does. I think that I may have one or two to post but it may take a day or two to find them. Maybe in the meantime someone else will. Marble--on!!

Sue-purrrb cullet Alan!! The first one looks almost scary/horrific in a Stephen King kind of way with the bubbles--I love it!!

Nice cat Gina, I am sure that I would rather lift the marble though. Here are a couple of Pelts, the 1" rainbo is on a piece of what I think is Houze--a lamp part, the Houze is not oxblood but I think that it wants to be. The rainbo is just one of those things that pops up if you really inspect your marbles. Oxblood as a bonus is always a good thing in my book. The next is a Pelt multicolor, yellow, robins egg blue, white. These multicolors are one of my favorite color combinations of all marbles out there. This color combo is sometimes blessed with the occasional splurt of oxblood as a result of no intentional act as I understand it. Marble--on!!

Go for it Gina, Jump in, the water is fine!! There are plenty of folks on this board that will not let you drown. Marble -on!!

I like it bill, It fits right in talking about Imperials. It has been a while since I saw a box filled with them. Akros top flight Oxbloods are what I always think of when I see the word Imperial. I bet that the circular that is described in the letter would be a great thing to see as well. Marble-on!!

Great stuff Ron, I was researching Vitrolite just lately because of a mention of it that you made in a recent post about many marble companies using Vitrolite cullet. Just one piece of that in a frame could hang on my wall for sure. A wall covered in it would be unreal. Here is a link to a great article on Vitrolite. There were also 2 websites that I found that sold it. https://www.decopix.com/the-vitrolite-story/

Put it under blacklight Gladys, Pistacios glow like no other marble does and I can see from the sunlight hitting it that it is one. These marbles can get pretty crazy with the swirls and flames bounching all over the place. One of the best color combos out there. There were quite a few arguments years past about these being CAC but the intense research by many who have contributed to this board have shown what it truely is. A nice find for sure!! Marble-on!!

I would dig 20 feet for that one--maybe more; I doubt that you have seen any of the same pattern-- thanks for the humble response. Marble -on!! And Humility-on!!

I am comfy with Vitro on this one.

Holy cow! and I mean cow(at least an orange and yellow cow). How big is it ? Vacor made some big marbles but I am not calling this one--never seen by me before. Pretty cool for sure.

The heat index is pretty high, how about some lemonade?

Next time post a fried egg with this one--I like it.

This image has been adjusted. I am playing with a new camera and imaging software. I though that it was cool to see that oxblood from the bottom light up with lemonade brightness. These are both my best examples. The bottom of the plate is just as good as the top, it is like it was folded over with great ox on top and bottom, follow the lines of ox throughout the plate to understand what I mean. Oxblood turns into lemonade. Marble-on!!! and keep the oxblood and liver coming!! I love it all!!

Another piece of work fitted for a museum--Impressed I am-- whole or halves, who cares, rare as all get out ----Thanks for the image!!

That is some great cullet my friend. I want to fry up some liver tonight for some reason---excellent!!! That blue ox cork is as good as they come--museum piece for sure-- is it for real or a contemp ? (seriously) It is unreal!! Thanks for the chance to see it.

Gina, I am sorry to hear of your recent bad experience with a seller on e-bay. Sometimes no matter the amount of research and calculations that you do to determine a sellers reputation, one can still fall short of what is expected. In my early (very early) years with e-bay I had some very nice boxes shipped in padded envelopes only to discover damaged items that I could have avoided with simple shipping instructions added to my order. It is always a gamble no doubt but increased communication will avoid many pitfalls that may occur. Now, I always add shipping instructions on my orders, many times offering extra for the effort. There are many bad-eggs selling marbles on e-bay much to our dismay as collectors, shill bidding is still a reality. There are many more (most by far) sellers that are concerned with the reputation that they have and are willing to make you a happy buyer. I urge you to reestablish your position as a buyer on e-bay and take advantage of the opportunities that it offers. Reload and re-fire, consider your shortfalls, not the sellers, and move ahead. There are many ways to beat the bad and come home with the goods. As always in collecting research—research—research. I have avoided many auctioneers in live, in person auctions because of their demeanor and even the good ones will require crowd support to back down on a misplaced bid or sale. This is the life we live—set out to win or hold back but keep your senses intact. Get back there and make e-bay a buyers marketplace and not a sellers as I did many years ago. I feel your pain-- Marble—on!!

Nice score Newbie. They look to be vintage from my angle. Keep up on the study and ID and continue the score's. Spend less and study more. They are all still out there, for the informed at least. Collect what you like--this is the key to success in collecting. Marble--on!!

Milkys’ were my first love. This is the first box that I purchased in my madness of marble collecting. Akro jobber boxes are not real common and I have seen one other since I got this one about 25 years ago. Oxblood—on!!

Thanks to all that contributed to this post. I am surprised at the lack of inquiry about the 4 ½ x4 ½ box mentioned in the advertisement. “Fancy varnished box”, “fabricoid bag”---unreal! This is the first for me to see a “rubberized cloth” bag referred to as such—fabricoid—what a cool term. Who has ever seen a fancy varnished box designed to hold marbles from the 30’s. The post is concentrated on the image and not the printed terms. Akro tin boxes were filled with a large variety of marbles, pouches, knee pads and instructions as ordered by the buyer, many were ordered as “giveaways” with advertising on the pouches. The box in the image is what it is but what about the terminology. Old ads like this, especially ones dealing with jobbers are not always accurate in the imaging but the terminology takes time to prepare and edit. I trust the letters typed or placed over the images in this case. Marble-on!!

Chad, are the yellowish images under UV or backlit? The ox looks thick and beneath the surface--very cool.