Alan

I'll defer to those who know those specific boxes better than I do.

Fake Sulphides that I personally handled: Fantasy "Atlanta Porcelains": Scott Patrick Guineas: (Note: Scott sold them for a dollar and was clear that he made them. People other than Scott sometimes re-sold them as genuine Guineas) I purchased these from Scott at New Philly many years ago. Fake Master boxes:

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David: I don't have any of the corks. I was offered nine of them by a guy that had similarly accumulated them from Roger. They were the real deal. Back in the day they were offered for $600 each. There is a guy that has been trying to sell one - but seems to have no takers. I think you and I may be the only Old School types that remember when they were referred to as Half-and-Halves. I haven't heard that term in 12 or so years.

Thanks very much. I've been considering making a box for these >1" Akros:

Where does one buy the old fashioned, thin, non-corrugated cardboard?

That circular mark is not a pontil.

That was why I ask whether it was made out of flannel. Definitely looks like PJs.

That cloth wouldn't happen to flannel - would it?

As Sue noted - it is pretty much a contemporary show. I don't think I would go unless contemporaries are something you are interested in (or unless you live nearby). That said - I enjoy the show.

Second glance says the same.

I don't own any St. Clair work - but the style struck me as reminiscent of his work. So mine is a guess - not authoritative.

I was thinking St. Clair.

Fairly close - except that people were paying thousands for them as recently as last Fall, IIRC. Most handmade people new they were suspect as soon as they came out. I handled two of them several years ago. They were "sponsored". Some of use know who the sponsor is. An artist didn't just cook them up on his own.

Does anyone know if Ravenswood made industrial marbles?

Since vintage marbles were made almost exclusively to play marbles with - any marble larger than 3/4" would: 1. Be too large for a child's hand to shoot with 2. Not conform to marble playing regulation - which IIRC limit marble diameter to 3/4". We all know some vintage types that were made larger than 3/4" - but we should remember that they were made to be played with - not collected as we do today.

I have been several times. It is 90+ percent contemporary marbles. It is a very enjoyable time. It does suffer from two key problems: 1. The venue (WheatonArts) does not promote the show at all. You are left to find out about the show on your own. They have been uncommitted to the show in the past - canceling it without a clear reason. 2. The adjacent hotel fills up VERY early - and the next nearest hotel is not nearby. The hotel always has weddings - and the wedding party fill the hotel months in advance. I think it could make a great combined contemporary/vintage venue - but the adjacent hotel cannot support that.

Observation: The marbles don't seem to fit the box as I would expect. They seem on the small side.

IMO: I own shoes older than that box.

A good marble stands on its own and doesn't need a story to prop it up. When I start hearing stories - I begin looking much closer.

Herbie was a character in the original run. This one appears correct.

I wouldn't hasten to concede naming conventions to those misused on Ebay - or frankly anywhere else. I haven't conceded that Ebay reflects the core vintage marble collecting market - because I don't believe that it does. Just because people misuse a term doesn't dilute the true meaning of it. This discussion is about what the term means and how one can define it in a way that can be applied to the hobby. Although discussions of the chemistry behind the multiple methods of producing oxblood glass in vintage marbles is relevant and I think important to understand at some level - at the end of the day we need to be able to hold a marble in our hand and say "This is oxblood BECAUSE _________________________________." Discussions of chemistry or the presence of micro-crystalline structures are interesting to the more experienced collector - but they are no help to the collector - and especially the novice collector - who is attempting to learn naming conventions properly.

The use of the term "oxblood" was used to describe color long before the term was used to describe marble glass color. It is not exclusive to marbles or glass, but the color it describes is reasonably consistent between glass, paint etc. I know of no use of the term "oxblood" traceable to children in the heyday of marble playing. If anyone does, or has vintage sales literature that reflects it - that would expand the discussion.

So - to the purpose of the thread - how do you recommend diagnosing the absence or presence of "microcrystalline copper" in marbles?