Alan

I like them. All of the above are the >1" dia. patches. (Note the quarter for scale). I bought 90% of them from Roger Hardy back when they were available at New Philly. All of the experimental patches that come up for sale for reasonable amounts - I buy. The big experimental corks rarely come up for sale. A certain seller tried to sell one for $600. for years - with no apparent takers. There are ~24 of the corks known and the quantity of the >1" patches in the quantity noted in my first post. The comparative rarity of both types is very, very, very low compared to everything else that Akro made. There a very few of other large types that Akro made that are also fairly rare.

I'm partial to the Orange and Blue Experimental patches. Roger Hardy told me that there were ~150-160 found.

Get some distance between the lens and the marble. The top of the marble is in focus - but 75% of it isn't quite so. That distance will also allow more light on it without the lens throwing a shadow.

Akro:

Thats a lot of as-mades"!

Then there is when the marbles become the tops:

Ravenswood:

FWIW: Akro fluorescent cullet - two colors:

Your problem isn't your hardware. Understand the working limits of your camera, your optics and use them within those limits. Understand the challenges of using your camera on the "Auto" setting - and the compromises that it may be making in the background that you are unaware of. Use lighting effectively. Don't use your macro (not "micro") lens so close to the subject that you fall outside the focal length limits - or have issue with focus at x aperture. For most of us - understanding how our camera and optics work is more important than new hardware.

Marble-inspired Easter eggs:

Nice Akro boxes. Its a shame the funnel is broken - as almost all of them are.

Looks like an odd anemic onionskin.

I don't own one. Micas can have some variable color due to variation in the glass and the diameter.

You need to get it off the ceiling at some point....

Chilled glass, including rollers that aren't up to temp.

I should follow-up my earlier comment: I see nothing on the pictured piece that caused me to question it's authenticity. My comment of "one-off" was not meant to exclude its cane-cut nature - but to recommend that we all consider not trying to classify something into the nearest category for the sake of classifying it. Some designs/construction are tough to classify because they are essentially unique. Its nice to see something that is outside the box. Its a cool piece - one that I wouldn't mind owning.

I (think I) see the Onionskin-like core - although I would love to see a photo taken in a glass of water. The red appears to be oxblood. I think its going to be tough (and inexact) to describe it as any given named type. It appears to be a "one-off".

By striking the glass. Some of those I've seen have a slight purple cast.

Gerry Colman - 100% glass.

I am very sorry for your loss. May you find peace in the many good memories that come from your time together.

Does anyone know where to buy authentic-looking brown boxboard in the U.S., preferably online? All of the sources I have seen (hobby etc) seem to be overseas or huge bulk wholesale. I want to make a box of my own to house some same-type marbles. Thanks!