wvrons

This case was originally offered for sale from Washington State to me for $30,000.00. Larry Alley was offered this or more for his case.

One of the two only known Alley Salesman Sample Cases. A long history or story of this case. It was found in a desk drawer in the Vitro Agate Anacortes items when they closed. It had some marbles missing and some had been replaced. It had a few Akro corks and a few Vitro marbles in with mostly Alley marbles. A previous owner during the cases journey also sold some of the Calligraphy marbles from it. When I got it, there were 54 marbles that needed replaced. Still not 100% completely correct. Larry Alley (grandson of Lawrence Alley) has his fathers Alley Salesman Sample case which his father worked from. This case below was probably Lawrence Alley's case. He was good friends with Art Fisher who started and owned Vitro Agate. Vitro was sold and moved the Anacortes Washington state, where this case was found several years ago. I followed this case and its travels since it was found at Anacortes until I was able to finally own it. This case contains about ten rows of Alley Calligraphy marbles in it. There are a few 5/8 and very few 3/4 size Calligraphy marbles. Most Alley Calligraphy marbles are 11/16 size. All the marbles in the two Alley Salesman Sample cases are 11/16 size. The interior lining in both cases are white silk. The two cases are identical except for the few marbles yet to be replaced in this case. The cases have a cover which snaps closed. The marbles in Larry Alleys case are all original. No name or marking of any kind on the cases. L.E. Alley did not think he was important enough to place his name on any item he produced. You will never find any marble package with the L.E. Alley name on it.

The Alley Calligraphy marble were produced at three WV Alley locations. A very few at Sistersville and St.Marys, the majority were produced at Pennsboro WV. There is a fine line what collectors class as Alley Calligraphy or a few Alley flames.

I think there are a few Ravenswood marbles in the group. Most are Champion. The marbles could have all been purchased from Champion. Or purchased separate from Champion and Ravenswood. Champion purchased many Ravenswood marbles and a machine during the last auction at the Ravenswood Novelty factory years after it had closed.

For me MK Alley MK Sistersville location Alleys. 1932 mesh bag from Sistersville WV. When Rosenthal, Pink and Alley were partners at Sistersville. Rosenthal had the patent on the bag, Pink was the jobber and Alley made the marbles all in Sistersville WV 1932.

#1 Transitional #2 CAC #3 Ravenswood. #4 Jabo

Not rare. I see a few for sale every year. Some have more pastel colored marbles and have a little higher value. The good thing with most Akro box sets is that they have the metal reinforced corners. This has saved many Akro boxed sets. Also nice to have the original row dividers. There were many games other than Chinese Checkers that used marbles for play. No doubt the Chinese Checkers game is what put game marble production high enough that some companies could not keep up with orders.

There are many different snipe programs available. But most or all charge a fee. That can be by each individual bid, or a certain number of bids, or a yearly fee of unlimited bids. They are different reasons people use bid snipe programs . Not just ebay but also other auctions. Some snipe programs will let you set the time when your bid is placed. Some of those programs as you have seen can get a bid placed in the last 3-5 seconds. Ebay is like any auction, some times the bid may go well above what the item is normally worth. Sometimes a very good deal can be had. Some very good marbles do slip through ebay at very cheap prices. But the vast majority get what they are worth. Sometimes the description can be totally wrong or the pictures not good. People will take a gamble and sometimes lose and sometimes win. One could win can make up for five or ten losers. Putting items in your cart is just like shopping in a brick and mortar store. You place things in your cart planning to purchase but leave the cart and anyone can remove a item from your cart and go buy it. Your ebay cart is not much different than your ebay watchlist. As you have discovered the only sure thing for owning a ebay listing is buy it now. Or just place a bid high enough that no one will go over. I know a person recently who wanted a certain marble for sure. It was a $75.00-$100.00 marble. They use a snipe program but they still placed well over a $200.00 bid with the snipe for that marble. The marble sold for $38.00. With the snipe program they did not have to watch the auction, they did not have to be home, they did not have to be online with any device anyplace anytime after they entered their snipe bid into the snipe program. So the fee for snipe programs can bring peace of mind and sometimes get a good deal or also keep you from overpaying in a auction bidding war. There are very very good marble bargains on ebay. But they do not come easy. They take time and effort. I see and hear from people every month with marble bargains from ebay. Many are groups or lot of marbles. It might be one single marble in a group of 25 or 50 or more ?. It might be one single marble listed wrong or bad pictures ? Some people shy away from new sellers and they can have a good marble. It is a on line auction, it Is a gamble. It is not hands on. Hands on is at a marble show. I see many more steady marble bargains at marble shows than on line. But it cost to attend marble shows. But you meet some people and make many friends at marble shows. Some will end up lifetime friends.

Some can double this price. The last nice Alley Chalkie on ebay was $350.00. A good mint Alley Calligraphy usually goes for $150.00- $200.00 . A nice Lady Tater is $100.00- $150.00. A mint Alley Carnival is $500.00 .

Far left and far right both 100% Alley St.Marys Superman. About 75% of these have annealing fractures. These two look like nice ones.

I don't know of any company making 2 inch machine made marbles. Most collectors call 3/4 inch shooters, and near one inch to 1 1/4 inch boulders.

All 100% Jabo. First one is Hillbilly Magic or Indian Summer run.

St.Marys Alley marbles in Marble King bag. Very common. Can be this red header or yellow checkerboard header. Several different sizes or count bags. Can be mesh bags or plastic bags. Marble King on a package does not always mean Marble King Company. Berry Pink marble jobber, salesman, marble promotor was known as Marble King. He packaged marbles with headers of Marble King. The marbles may be Alley, Peltier, Marble King or others. Berry Pink was good friends with L.E. Alley and part owner of Marble King Company. Berry Pink was partners with Alley and Rosenthal while Alley was located in Sistersville. Marble King sometimes means Berry Pink. He was the original Marble King.

Bad condition, no collector value. Learn from it and pass it along or give it to a kid.

Very rough Ravenswood.

Very rough damaged Alley. With marbles condition is number one, no matter how old or rare.

Game marble.

Figure 8s do not see a lot of them any more.

Alley

The dark blue almost black, the second blue, the milky translucent base with the yellow that glows. A messed up cork.

Akro

Not impossible, but not easy. Some can be impossible but the majority are possible.

If someone tells you they can identify every marble accurate. They have not done very many, or just a liar.

Correct WV is for West Virginia. I have lived in WV all my life. In the part of WV where more machine made marbles were produced than any other place in the US. I have dug marbles at every marble factory site except one in WV, plus other states. I got to know and was friends with some of the past company owners, plant managers and several different company employees. Got deep into research of each WV marble companies history, along with their marbles. I went to high school in Ravenswood WV. I remember when marbles were made in Ravenswood. Not just swirls but all WV and other marbles. I also collect antique handmade marbles. I have helped with information in eight or more marble books the last 15 years. Marbles have many different rewards for many years.

All Alley. You did it. Some WV swirls can be identified. Some WV swirls cannot be separated.