Shamrock Marbles

Don’t pass on it if it looks like an exact match or is similar in shape and color. This is the fun part of collecting. Items like this, allow us the freedom to deviate from a narrow focus in our hunting. Recently, I have shifted my search. It has been freeing.

Hang on! I have buried some small black ashtrays somewhere. Let me look. Anyway, I love the “Murano” kitsch. It is the perfect glassware to separate tourists from their money. Murano can produce really fine art, but they need to sell “giftware” to keep the furnaces burning. Look at it this way: Aunt Dorothy left you a memory and a beautiful ashtray. Really, it is a cool piece of glass. 🔥

Lol! Black Widow. However, I do know a lady that was surrounded by death. Her high school boyfriend killed himself. Her aunt died prematurely under her care. Her husband died. Her second husband died. She always went on these spending sprees to help her deal with her grief. 😉

Stellar colors, patterns and cut lines!!

Radium Girls applied radium to watch and clock dials. They pointed the tips of their brushes with their lips. Not a happy ending to their stories. Wiki Radium Girls Library of Congress Blog

Hey! You stole that quote from the Radium Girls! LOL!! Dang! Was that another tooth 🦷 falling out? 💀

You are not the first to ask. To reproduce “as is” today it would be around $5,000. It could be done for much less using cheaper materials and components. However, the real cost was my research and development time. Would hate to put a dollar value on that. 😉

Not readily available. However, here is a link showing the larger “Mark II” in action. Mark Matthews, Hot House Glass and Shamrock Marbles Enjoy! -John

Great haul! You may not get any “valuable” marbles, but you will find gems in your catch. Enjoy what you have, while you search for more!! -John

Thank you. These were made with Hot House Glass last year at Moon marble. Brett and Larry are true artists. I’m a glass hack. Many thanks to Bruce, Linda, Brett and Larry!!

Dang!! Super keeper!

Cranberry and Green Aventurine. 1.30” diameter.

What are those?

Drew Frits in the middle?

The journey for “Genesis” began in late 2001. Design and build occurred during 2002. First marble rounding attempt was March 2003. First successful sphere was August of 2003. First public demonstration was October of 2003. Genesis was followed by the “Mark II” in 2006… It’s been a crazy trek the last 20 years! *** I designed the machine based on the MFC patent (~80%). The remaining design had ideas from other marble machine patents, plus one of my own features not claimed in any patent. Built the unit at work over a period of months. Had the “wheels” made at a friend’s machine shop. *** Bruce Breslow and Cathy Runyan-Svacina gave the initial push. Brian Graham provided me with the MFC patent number. The rest is history!

Shift knob from Craig @spara50. Marble machine “Genesis”.

Vintage or Contemporary, they are all beautiful. Mine in Contemporary also. I’ll drop a photo of the knob on the machine.

Love those knobs. Craig S. gave me a knob years ago. I installed it on my marble machine. What do your threaded inserts look like?

Great cut line!! Sweet!

My reflector is stamped: ”ANTHES TYPE-T” ”PATENT 2134566” Stamping on the back is too corroded to clearly make out “…FT MADISON IA”.

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!!