Alan

Cooked, lots of missing glass... possibly polished before it was (over)heated and worked. In its original form it was probably a very nice piece.

(Unfortunately, I have chosen to remove this content due to unchecked behaviors by others on this board. My apologies to those who will not benefit from it in the future.)

(Unfortunately, I have chosen to remove this ID content due to unchecked behaviors by others on this board. Moderators choose to humor it, but I will not. My apologies to those who will not benefit from it in the future.)

(Unfortunately, I have chosen to remove this ID content due to unchecked behaviors by others on this board. Moderators choose to humor it, but I will not. My apologies to those who will not benefit from it in the future.)

Based on that view alone - I don't think that would be a Sparkler.

I covet your wirepulls.

Osama Bin Laden literally sleeps with the fishes.

That chunk of yellow would look good twisting through a piece of this oxblood: (Unfortunately, I have chosen to remove this ID content due to unchecked behaviors by others on this board. Moderators choose to humor it, but I will not. My apologies to those who will not benefit from it in the future.)

I was reminded of a marble I tucked away many years ago. An "Atomic Marble" from the Hanford nuclear reactor. I had to do some serious digging to find it!

Thanks for posting this, David.

Sorry to hear of this. Just a general observation: A collector wouldn't steal a torch and hoses.

Reminds me of the Atomic Marbles sold ~20 years ago. I haven't seen one in a long time. They came singly in a small paper envelope with the story on the outside.

It is not consistent with any of the clear/Oxblood Akros I have seen. I have seen this seam/clear/oxblood pattern in a photo before - but cannot immediately place where. Can you check to see if it flouresces?

Looks like Leona Helmsley.

I'd venture that it is contemporary - and wouldn't surprise me if it was later found to not be glass.

I fent.

(Unfortunately, I have chosen to remove this ID content due to unchecked behaviors by others on this board. Moderators choose to humor it, but I will not. My apologies to those who will not benefit from it in the future.)

(Unfortunately, I have chosen to remove this ID content due to unchecked behaviors by others on this board. Moderators choose to humor it, but I will not. My apologies to those who will not benefit from it in the future.)

In my considered opinion - grading can only be learned by in-hand experience from a person that is knowledgeable. This is why attending shows and spending time with other collectors is valuable. Tying to learn accurate grading from a one dimensional photo with high variable lighting, varying degree of focus and none of the advantages of in-handing examination is like trying to learn swimming from watching it on TV. The ability to rotate a marble in your hand, vary the lighting, feel the surface and then take all of the factors of wear, sub-surface issues, blow-outs, cold rolls, etc etc and combine them to an overall grade take time and experience. Experience that comes from a wide range of marbles over time. The same is somewhat similar for accurate marble identification. The use of web or book-only grading and identification has led to an unfortunate growth of overly optimistic (and inaccurate) grading and misidentification of marble types. There is only so much one can learn from photos. Shows and the broad expertise there is a valuable source for learning.

They are real. Really new.

Finding 9, one inch micas in that color and minty condition will take much longer than most folks probably imagine. Assuming cost-containment is a factor since you would re-sell them - much tougher still.

I wish I had seen it when you had the PPP up. Is it mint? I've been looking for some.