Kokoken

I have seen the cane piece. It blew my mind. It is about 4 inches long by about 5/8 diameter and the owner says it was found at the factory site. All the typical guinea colors are on the outside of the clear glass core. They are not spots but even stripes of each color which in my mind would make for more of a Joseph Coat marble. I don't get it. Another piece in the Christensen Agate puzzle for sure. The owner originally had 2 such pieces but sold one of them.

Is it a shearer mark or a plier mark ?? I thought I saw grooves. I wonder if this fragment, rather than being the result of production, was a result of cleaning a pot ot a tank hence the plier mark. Who knows ? A very interesting piece.

Awesome. In the first pic toward the middle top there is a guinea that looks like it has a reddish base. Is the collection for sale ?

Yes, completely different from a slag in that the white is always a ribbon that dives thru/around the marble as opposed to a slag where the white is in all kinds of shapes, blobs thin, whispy strings and planes. Regarding the Columbus show, I was only able to be there for 21 hours but in my estimation it was terrific ! Brian Estepp and Smitty and others really know how to plan an event. Attendance seemed up to me and the marble activity seemed to be in high gear. The mood of both buyers and sellers seemed very upbeat. As always, I spent way too much money.

Above comments are correct - a red base with white ribbons. Although I don't think they are very pretty, CA seemed to be determined to make them without much success. Old diggers say there are literally tons of halves and fragments in the ground. Avery high proportion of waste considering the small numbers produced. I just got back from a very enjoyable Columbus show.

Yes, I have a bloody box that is filled with the rarest CA marble of all - red Jennys. I got it years ago from beloved, Les Jones. I'll send a lousy pic to Lou for posting.

The white does not always flouresce. I would say 50% of the time. The same is true for the white on guineas.

I agree names of the sources need not be revealed at all.

I agree with Chris on the above. It is shame though that the knowledgeable collectors don't participate on the boards. The speculation and half truths on the boards are bad for the hobby.

Where is Bill Tow on this topic ? He is as knowledgeable as anyone on exotics and has had loads of experience with them. I would love hear from him.

I'll post my lousy pic of great mibs

If I counted right, nineteen VERY impressive mibs. Congratulations !!!

Thanks for the support, Galen. Don, again, I request the old time collector's name. The one who is positive that they are fakes. The same person more knowledgeable that Estepp, Tow, Hix, Bassinet or Jones. Secondly, none of the above has ever been offerred 100 exotics at one time. Thirdly, none of them ever bought 20 (let alone 40) at one time. Last February I bought 12 at one time and the source told me it was his largest transaction ever. Not all of these 12 were exotics. Two of them were cyclones and 1 was a guinea. I guess I should be worried that the cyclones and guinea are fakes too. I am not worried. They are all killer examples from an all too short-lived manufacturer - Christensen Agate Company. Hail, Hail to not only that cantankerous Arnold Fiedler, but also Howard M. Jenkins for putting up with Fiedler. MAY THE HOBBY PROSPER !!!!

I don't pretent to be omniscient about Christensen Agate like you, Don. It seems the older I get, the less sure I am about a lot of things. The best eyes for CA that I know belong belong to Brian Estepp. Bill Tow, Charlie Hix, Alan Bassinet, Don Rios and recently departed Les Jones. I think I can speak for them in saying that they do not consider them fakes- not even suspicious. Could you give us contact info for one of your "old time collectors" who is positive that they are fakes ? I, for one, think we have yet to see all the varieties of mibs that Christensen Agate produced- and that is the fun of this great hobby. The hobby is hurt when unfounded remarks are make on a public forum.

Well, it wouldn't be exotic if it were common, would it ? Let's not open that authenticity can of worms because of our own ignorance and petty envy.

I love CA cullet- that is a colorful grouping. The nice thing about pieces and cullet is that you don't have to worry about it rolling away all the time. Also the interiors of the mibs is quite interesting in its diversity.

Great photography, Bill. There is a pattern to the padded liner.