wvrons

You are getting close to my hunting grounds. Thanks for the call and update.

Be careful,how many marbles have you got,even the Alley box.

Empty some of your mail. Tried to pm you and it says,full cannot send.

YES

Do you have a time frame for this box. I have a exact match for every marble in that box. This was the main marbles that i dug in the last big dig at Akro near the dance class building.

As usual some of it is accurate and some may not be,especially with the dates or time frames. Started to use cullet in 1940,this was not Pinks idea alone,Alley was using cullet in Pennsboro long before 1940,even earlier at Sistersville. I know because i have seen it and written bills. Alley was in St.Marys in 1940. Vitro and other companies were also using cullet before 1940 accorinding to purchase orders or bills for cullet purchased. Alley and Pink may have had problems but became friends through business again while Alley was at Pennsboro and St.Marys. Berry Pink through orders of marbles (most for chinese checker marbles) made it possible for Alley to expand and move to a larger factory building in St.Marys. Most or all of the machines at all three locations were designed by Alley and built in the Skaggs machine shop in St.Marys and a machine shop in Pennsboro. Members of the Alley family have original blueprints for machines designed by and built for Alley. Lawerence Alley was a quiet man and wanted to remain low key unnoticed. Berry Pink may have taken or been given a lot of credit for machines and ideas that were not all his,for PR and sales. I am sure Berry Pink was a very good salesman but not sure how good a machine man or glass man he was? Berry Pink was one of,or the major PR man for marbles. You can and will find things that do not always match from articles and even county records. Anyplace any written material or records come from or who about helps fit the puzzel pieces together. The more pieces,the more accurate. Great info,always need more,never to much. Lots of puzzels to fit together.

Most of those spinner bags had some good marbles. Nice ad,it looks just like one that i was happy to receive.

This reminds me of all the trash bags that i have filled with inards and how many went into and down the creek at my house over the years. Of course the better ones my grandson managed to dig and save from the creek,or the hillside. I also had some help doing this,even recently. I have even seen adults on my hillside picking up marbles,and not long ago.

I sent Al Rasmus some of the info about this Last Dance run,concerning the added Alley chalkie mix. Maybe he will add it here and save me the typing. I will be away from any computer,until Jan 2,09. Nice marbles,good run,Great people and a wonderful time again at the Jabo factory. MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone. Ron S.

This could get very lengthy and detailed. Dave M. could probably get into more exact details and actual dates. Yes,Bogard and Champion had machines (or parts of) from Ravenswood Novelty. Jack told me he tried (more than once) running the Ravenswood rolls. They ran ok,but just way to slow,for production number needs of the day. The last that i knew Jack still had the Ravenswood rolls wrapped and in the overhead stroage at the (now sold) Jabo Williamstown WV site. That is the confusing problems with all this trying to track machines from place to place. Once these machines left a company to another,or even at the same location,many of the parts could and would be changed around from one machine to another. The machines now at Jabo are most likely a combination of a couple or three past companies,but most came from Vitro Parkersburg,then Vitro Anacortes. It is possible that the adjustments on a,or some machines and rolls can be adjusted to run marbles of various sizes,pee wee 1/4 to 3/4. But a set of rolls sized to run 9/16 size,will run that size the best,but it is possible to run other sizes. Depending on the order size or quanity,it may not be cost efficent to change to a different size set of rolls. Of course this also is dependent on the machine operators skill. There is several different pieces to a marble machine and some can be switched out and some are specfic to only one machine. It would be very difficult (if possible at all) to accurately track a complete machine,or where different parts went or are located now. These various machines are not young and no new ones built. This of course is about most of the older WV machines. Not including Alox,Peltier,the Miller which is not far away,etc. Alley designed his machines and others for overseas. The various machines or equipment pieces have some to do with the marble pattern. But so does the tank,the glass in the tank,temp,additives,speeds,time,and as Dave always says,LUCK. When Mid-Atlantic sold their machines,there were about 8-10 machines,where each exact one came from ? But most were all making the same similiar marble,pattern,striping,etc. I guess that what i am trying to explain is that,it is very difficult (if possible) to track a certian marble or pattern to one machine,in most cases with the WV machines. Even the corkscrew was due to one piece,the spinning cup,not the entire machine. Like most with marbles there are lots of variables and not all is 100% in every case. Plus,i have forgot most of the questions now,LOL.

It was a pleasure to spend time with this special group. Thanks Edna for the report and pictures. Now you will make me sort a certian type marble from my group. A marble my grandchildren can be proud of. Memories of once in a lifetime. I would do it all again. Thank You ALL,every one.

Very good on your group id,M!D$. I agree with all but maybe the last one lower right,may be Champion. These are difficult to do by pictures,due to the many different shades of green used,plus seperating the dark red from browns.

You may bring the Notre Dame cap for Dale !

It will have W V or it will be a bald head,LOL. I could switch caps and be in disguise. See you soon.

Al,my best guess from pics. horsehair oxbloods row 1 -2 = Alley, Alley row 2 -3 = Alley,Ravenswood,(maybe Alley),Ravenswood (maybe Alley). row 3 -3 = Heaton,Champion,Alley row 4 -4 = Alley,Champion,Champion,Champion. row 5 -3 = Champion,Champion,Champion.

I plan to be there,wearing a WV cap.

I would also vote for the one on the right side,as pistachio. To me the darker the green and the darker the swirl,swirls,or stripes the better chance of being labeled as pistachio.

I guess it all depends on what you call pistachio? Most of what i have seen called pistachio,were opaque green with black or very dark purple swirls,some very dark brown swirls. The three main producers were Alley,CA,and Ravenswood. From what i have seen the last 7-8 years the largest producer of these was Alley. Even marblealan list almost all,if not all of the pistachio that he gets,as made by Alley. I have and seen a few Ravenswood that would probably fall into the same group. Most (70%) of the Alley pistachio will glow but not all. Ravenswood made a similair green but the swirls are usually dark brown,instead of black or dark purple. Ravenswood made at least 4-5 or more shades of green with 4-5 shades of brown swirls,and most of these glow. Ravenswod also made several with this green and very dark blue swirls. Years ago they were all believed to be made by CAC. The companies that i know of which made the horsehair oxbloods are,Alley,Champion,Heaton,Ravenswood,Cairo Novelty,and a few others could have some considered horsehair ox,some Akro,some patches. Again it is all what you consider horsehair oxblood. The list above is in the order of numbers produced,by what i have seen. There is a wide range of different oxblood color in several of these,some of the Champion goes more to the red side than oxblood. The most common color base is, green/white,green,and in 4-5 different shades. Next would be blue/white,blue,2-3 different shades. Most of the blue ones or blue/white with horsehair ox will be Champion,but some of the other companies also made blue,but not common. Some are just opaque white and horsehair ox. A few are just clear and horsehair oxblood swirl or stripes. There can be a wide variety of either of the ones above,pistachio or horsehair oxblood,and as many opinions about them.

I have seen slightly different shades of colors,red,gray,blue,in the Berry Pinks. Some are opaque white with the colored patches and some are clear with the same patches or stripes. The clear ones here (locally) are called naked Berry Pinks. Most of the white opaque ones seem to have brighter or deeper colors. These may be the older ones as most companies in later years had to find a cheaper way to produce their marbles. A common way to cut cost was to cut color. Here (near St.Marys & Paden City),both styles are Berry Pinks and about the same value.

I knew it was not good when she had not emailed or sent me a card the last couple months. Sad day,she will be missed coast to coast. Peace now Patry ! Ron S.

Edna,where is your buttermilks? I have a buttermilk that came from Guy,he is missed.

Great thread. I am not sure where to start. The very first picture and box,the second row looks like the Vitro Lilacs,i thought they were made in Parkersburg not long before the move west. Maybe both locations? The game marbles were made at Vienna and Parkersburg. The mailing address was probably Parkersburg when they were in Vienna because it would have been a much larger and faster post office. They did get some mail at Vienna,but most probably went through the Parkersburg office. It would have been about three mile to the main Parkersburg post office. The Vienna Vitro factory was at the south edge of the Vienna city limits,near the Vitrolite glass factory. Then it would have been farm land for 1-2 mile to the Parkersburg flood wall. Now this area is home to the mall,Lowes,Home Depot,WalMart,Sams,etc. Probably the busiest area of Parkersburg/Vienna. I don't know of Vitro making intentional pee wee cat eyes. The Parkersburg plant was located along the Kanawha river about one mile before it enters the Ohio river. Closer to the south side of Parkersburg,not far from the city park. This could be a long thread.

Don't let that Alox information get away,keep it coming.

THANKS for the pictures Joe. It was a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Keep a eye on this man. The marble bug has bit him. He is doing big things for marble collectors and has lots of future plans. He has a great couple helping him along the marble road. Ron S.

Frank's Alley During the annual May 2008 West Virginia Marble Collectors show I had the pleasure of discussing marble collecting with Steve Sturtz. We were able to meet shortly, the prior week at the Cairo West Virginia marble festival. Steve Sturtz and Mike Johnson are the authors of the recently released Jabo A Classic marble book. Steve asked for my opinion of attaching a name to a Jabo classic marble in someone's honor. I then asked who and why? Steve said it was Frank Sellers and for what Frank and his family had done for the promotion of marble collecting. I agreed and we both decided this was the proper time, as the WVMCC show for 2008 was dedicated in remembrance of Frank's grandfather, Lawrence E. Alley and his glass. Thousands of Alley marbles and other Alley glass items were displayed during the show, spanning 8 show tables. Next we had to choose a marble. It was decided that it should be an older Jabo marble. One from an especially good run or year, and larger than normal size. It was to be from 2003 and ¾" size. The colors were to be yellow with a red swirl or striping, similar to colors that Lawrence Alley had used many years earlier at various locations. Now we needed the marble. Steve didn't have this one and asked me to search my Jabo collection that night. I found six or seven of the same run that fit the description. The name of the marble was easy; it would be "Frank's Alley". The only remaining item was to get the approval of Dave McCullogh. We were sure he would be present Saturday at the show. When he arrived we gave him the details and thought it was proper for him to do the presentation. Dave took the microphone and got everyone's attention, then called Frank Sellers forward to his surprise. Dave did the presentation; this 2003 Jabo marble would be called "Frank's Alley" from now on. The individual marbles were placed in separate small plastic bags for protection. One was presented to Frank Sellers, then to Dave McCullogh, Steve Sturtz, myself, Howard Powell (WVMCC President) and a couple on their way to Ebay for marble collectors. Frank and Dave were gracious enough to autograph each bag, while the photos were being taken. Everyone applauded then wanted to look at Frank's Alley. WVRONS Ron Shepherd No pictures to post yet but, one to be listed on ebay soon,and one going to marblealan soon.