Shamrock Marbles

Nice marbles, but tell us about you father. There’s a story to be shared. -John

There are more than a few museums that have questionable items in their collections. Study the provenance, not the superficial “story”. After the great Chicago fire, there were “entrepreneurs” that exploited the fire to gain financially. Glass marbles are not immune to “historical distortions” or “names” to enhance market pricing. Internet postings are not proof of authenticity. Caveat emptor!!

Thank you for the grammar check!! I updated it accordingly. Yes, you are correct about working for extended periods at a torch and the physical stress it provides. Combine that, with cold winter weather and you have one terrible combination. Time for a phone call…

Ray did some great stuff. My favorites were his sulphide. A very creative and inquisitive person.

Bill became a very good marble maker later. I remember that period. Bill took a great hit from Les’ passing (along with many others). I can say that my interactions with Les at three marble shows were very educational and transformative. Time has passed, but no one has ever produced the beautiful photographs that BT created nearly 20 years ago. My favorite phrase, “Variations on a theme.” Cheers to upside down world maps!!

A pillar of a man that cannot be replaced. My heartfelt condolences to loved ones and friends. May your hearts carry his memory in witness of who he was. Blessings to those who knew him. A shame that another generation will never get the direct experience of his knowledge and friendship. Call those who are far away. Hug those who are near. Tomorrow is not promised. Godspeed, dear Ron.

Interesting difference in patina in the section engraved with “Dept of Parks”. Yours appears to be machined/ground off then engraved with gratuitous nomenclature. Explanation for the difference in surface condition?

Hmmm… Considering that this went through a fire, then the lack of carbon or char embedded on the melted surfaces is most intriguing. Had the marbles been in a cardboard box, wood box, cloth bag or leather pouch (all organic materials), then their burning would have left carbon residue on all the surfaces. Even the interior surfaces. The corrugated surface reminds me of ceramic kiln paper. Remember to buy the item, not the “story”. -John

Ric, True UV is invisible to the human eye. The purple/blue you see from your light source is of the wavelength that does not cause the elements in the glass to react. Reactive components need invisible wavelengths of 400nm or shorter to fluoresce. Uranium is not the only element to fluoresce under UV. Selenium, Cadmium and Manganese do react to UV, but not as intensely as Uranium. These three components are very common in modern glass. Selenium is found in yellow and orange glass. Cadmium in red glass. Manganese is used to make purple glass. So, it is a misnomer to say you see glass reflecting UV. -John

Merry Christmas everyone!! May you be healthy and have success in 2023!

This goes back to my original conversations with Les Jones in Hannibal 2003, KC 2004 and Amana 2004. We all are constrained by the current laws of physics. Add Occam’s razor to that mix and you have a great conversation on “how did that happen”?

The “Watermelon” (Bullseye) and the Green/White/Yellow Patch (Spectrum) marbles are mine without a doubt. Need better angles of the others to rule completely out. The colors, patterns and cut lines tell a tale. I can explain how I got two cut lines on some of my marbles. 😉

Yes, some are and some are not. -John

Well…. Hand-gathered and machine-formed marbles are predominantly single-shear marbles. Christensen Agate (CAC) existed at the period were both Hand-gathering and Hearth-fed marbles were made. Many Guineas and “Exotics” exhibit true single-shear marks. -John

Like fine Champagne. Lovely mib! (Something went wrong with my Apple.)

Three and five. Courtesy of Larry Zengel.

Ron, I believe you are seeing the poly bag deteriorating from oxidation. The outside of the bag gets handled and the oxidized plastic dust gets knocked off. The dust inside the bag is contained, with nowhere to go. Newer polymers have additives to reduce oxidation. Vintage plastic, not so much. I suspect the differences one will find between marble companies is based on who was their supplier and the purchase price or quality of the bagging material. Those vintage bags are on a slow death march, but they will still outlast us both! -John

Scott may you Rest In Peace and rejoice in your reunion with your daughter, Heather Lynn.

Yes, sweet examples. That board of marbles would be nice to have!

Additionally... The website "The Glass Marble" is Bruce Troeh's. Bruce has been a perennial demonstration artist at Moon Marble's Marble Crazy. Bruce T. basically added the detail design from Craig Snider (Spara50) to his website. You can see an email exchange at the bottom of that page. The genesis for the plans (I believe) came from some details shared by Leroy Johnson, but Craig fleshed it out into a complete DIY Instruction Kit and shared it. I am open to any correction by Craig (or others). John

If you are inclined to build this machine, one can currently find substitute gearmotors at Grainger or McMaster-Carr. These will not be identical 1:1 replacements nor will they be cheap. Grainger 52JE35 McMaster-Carr 6142K49 The MC unit is beefier than the GR unit.

These make my heart skip a beat. I enjoy the simplicity of a white opaque glass with a colorful transparent glass. Simplicity at its finest. -John