History Of Marbles Made Abroad

[Steph]

Of course there's a lot known. A lot of notes elsewhere. Especially for marbles from Germany.

Just found an intriguing reference for marbles from Japan and needed a place to put it. Not sure what the credibility of a bartenders' union's publication would be for information about the toy marble industry, but I still found this interesting.

1907

From the April 15, 1907 issue of The Mixer and Server. The context is the desire for tariff's to protect domestic U.S. industries. Just a tiny snippet about marbles among several other examples of imports from Japan:

Japanese glass marbles of much beauty sell for a cent apiece, . . .

Some more while I'm in the neighborhood . . .

1952

Possibly a mention of export of toy marbles from Japan to different parts of the world, possibly including Europe, South-East Asia, Central and South America, .... Mentions "Glass marble". I can only guess it's the toy version.

Trade and Industry of Japan

1973

A History of Glass in Japan, by Dorothy Blair, Corning Museum of Glass. The book at least mentions marbles, and it seems as if they might be early ones, as in circa 1900. I need to either get the book, or have some fun on Google ferreting out more of the passage.

1956

The Glass Marble Industry of Hongkong, by SC Wu, in Vol. 20 of the Far Eastern Economic Review. Discusses marbles made in Hong Kong and Japan. I should get the book. However in this case I was able to read a lot just by playing around and teasing out extra snippets of the book. Here is a summary I posted last year of what I read. In particular, cat's eye production in Hong Kong seems to have started in 1954 in response to Japan's success.

1951

In 1951 Osaka is a center for glass balls and marbles, according to The Oriental Economist, A Monthly Journal of Practical Finance and Economics.

Dorothy Blair's history also mentioned Osaka specifically.

Have found 1950 and 1949 references also:

1950, The Oriental Economist

1949, Foreign Commerce WEEKLY

1937

Trade Directory of Japan comes up with a search for Osaka and "glass marbles" (in quotation marks). Not even a snippet view available on Google though.

1960

Japan Trade Guide: With a Comprehensive Mercantile Directory. This appears to give a manufacturer for Azuma brand marbles. I can't see the company name in the snippet but it's nifty to know it's there. I thought we might never be able to find names of Japanese marble making companies. Just need to figure out how to get my hands on the full texts.

Other notes:

Seeing 1947 as what appears to be a founding date for a glass bead and marble company, unsure of location but mentioned in an Osaka trade directory. Seeing what looks like possibly 1967 for Camel brand marbles.

[Steph]

1868-1912, known as "the late Meiji period"

Flat glass marbles used as playing pieces in a traditional Japanese game.

おはじき遊び　Ohajiki-asobi　Ohajiki (Flat Marbles) Game

[shiroaiko]

On 1/23/2010 at 11:11 AM, Steph said:

1960

Japan Trade Guide: With a Comprehensive Mercantile Directory. This appears to give a manufacturer for Azuma brand marbles. I can't see the company name in the snippet but it's nifty to know it's there. I thought we might never be able to find names of Japanese marble making companies. Just need to figure out how to get my hands on the full texts.

 

Aichi Denkyu (lightbulb) Godo is the name of the company you were looking for! One of the mysteries solved! Thank you, Steph!🥰 

It was also a manufacturer of various light bulbs including ones for Christmas. The company was founded in 1924, but they seem to make marbles after WW2. The trade mark for Japanese market was アヅマ (azuma) in a circle which corresponds the one for the foreign market (below is a clipping from "JIS Factory Directory for 1965" published in 1964). According to a 1958 directory, the company employed 220 workers and the major customers were the US, Holland, Italy, Canada and Salvador. The company seems to be closed in 1970's, but its brother company exists until now in Nagoya. 

 

There was another marble maker called Azuma Brothers Glass Co. (1954-1959?). Their marbles and ohajikis were sold under "Libbon-Earth Brand". So I wondered which company made the exported cat's eyes of Azuma boxes.

 

To add,  #67 of my Japanese marble maker's list is for Aichi Denkyu Godo. ↓

67 愛知電球合同 ❶名古屋市中区東陽町11-39 河合秀 設立大正15年　従業員数220名　一般家庭球 蛍光灯 クリスマス用装飾球 一般小型球 赤外線電球 グラスマーブル その他一般照明球特殊電球の製造　仕向地　東南アジア 印度 タイ 北中南米 中近東 アフリカ 豪州/「全国輸出入業者総覧 : 製造業者・貿易商 第5版」1958. 第14版 1968. 第15版 1969. 第19版 1973. 第20版 1974. 第21版 1975. ❷主要輸出品 電球 グラスマーブル 主要国内販売品 電球 グラスマーブル 電気材料 主要仕向国 アメリカ オランダ イタリア カナダ サルバドル/「全国貿易業者名簿 昭和36年版」❸各種電球 グラスマーブル 硝子製品 設立大正13年3月15日　商標は円の中にアヅマ。/「JIS工場通覧 1965年版」1964 ❹アヅマランプ 一般照明用電球 赤外線電球 耐震電球 リフレクターランプ グラスマーブル/「名古屋商工名鑑 昭和40年版」❺社長 河合利周 製造 一般照明用電球 大型電球 小丸電球 赤外線電球 その他特殊電球 グラスマーブル/「電気年鑑 1971年版」1970. 1972年版 1971. ❻アヅマ電気（株）昭和45年4月　大株主愛知電球合同 代表取締役会長 河合利周

愛知電球合同の商標は円の中にカタカナでアヅマ。アメリカで報告されたビー玉パッケージには円の中にアルファベットでAZUMA。東兄弟の登録商標はLibbon Earth Brandで、地球にリボンがかかった印。

[Steph]

Thank you!