mordiskul Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 I put this in the main area since i dont know if everyone has got a chance to see this one ...5 3/4 ins. in length and 2 1/2ins. in width ...i have looked over and over and have never seen one like it , i must say event looking at my own pic its one of the best vintage agates ive ever seen in 18+ years of collecting . Its wild how the bowling ball in the middel slides up-down beteewn the 2 pins ...im not sure but this maybe masonic also ..as for the shape the agate is in mint agate shape as most of us know what that means little natu. spots NO CHIPS ,FLEA BITES ,FLAKES NOTHING LIKE THAT. Yup its just super i love the thing but have to buy afew things around the house so ill b posting this and many more on EBAY in the comeing weeks , My user name on ebay is firewall.w . cheers Dustin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 That's yours? I saw the listing. No masonic symbols that I could see. Is there a sterling stamp anywhere? Nice looking marble on it, but the price is way out of my league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Hey Dustin, that thing is AWESOME!!!! It's probably out of my price range, too... But, I'd like to see more of it. I didn't find the listing. Can you tell us the auction # or post a link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Here's the link. I've only seen one other, they're really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spara50 Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Great item. I have one of these myself but the agate is a bullseye style. This is a gorgeous agate. I have seen only 4 of these. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Thanks Ric!! When I searched I added completed items. I thought it would include current items too!! Dustin, that is really wonderful... And, based on what I've seen, the price isn't out of line.... No... I don't see a single indication of Masonic, unless it's in that little mark. The mark isn't a typical familiar hallmark to me... So, it might take some diggin' to find out where it's from and the grade of the metal... It may just need polishing, but it doesn't look as high as sterling. For "wear" purposes, it may be a lower silver count, but the quality makes up for that!! Here's a great site for researching marks... Encyclopedia of Silver Marks Very early Masonic stuff is secretly marked... Could this be one of those marks?? I dunno... But, it doesn't really look it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmuehlba Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Hi Dustin is the agate machine ground or is it one with hand ground facets ? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordiskul Posted February 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Thanx for all the good re. all , Mike I'll be real im not sure if its machine worked or hand , Every agate ive got in the past has been traded or sold fast i never put much study into it ...if someone could show an example im always happy to get schooled. Dustin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordiskul Posted February 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 This pic mite help Mike ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordiskul Posted February 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Machine ground Mike , sorry i had a fuzzy moment lol. Dustin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Thanks Ric!! When I searched I added completed items. I thought it would include current items too!! Dustin, that is really wonderful... And, based on what I've seen, the price isn't out of line.... No... I don't see a single indication of Masonic, unless it's in that little mark. The mark isn't a typical familiar hallmark to me... So, it might take some diggin' to find out where it's from and the grade of the metal... It may just need polishing, but it doesn't look as high as sterling. For "wear" purposes, it may be a lower silver count, but the quality makes up for that!! Here's a great site for researching marks... Encyclopedia of Silver Marks Very early Masonic stuff is secretly marked... Could this be one of those marks?? I dunno... But, it doesn't really look it... The mark isn't a silver hallmark. This has the color of a zinc/copper alloy on my monitor. That dull gray shade isn't typical of aged silver, unless it's been soaked in ammonia to remove tarnish. Production pieces from the US would be stamped with the silver content if made during the time period suggested by a machine ground agate sphere. Could be silver, but it's a little hard to tell from a photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 This has the color of a zinc/copper alloy on my monitor. 'Could be... But, I've seen 800 silver that looks a lot like that with age. Often used in Germany, especially for utilitarian, or high-wear items. Both fit pretty well for this item. If it's a zinc/copper alloy (German Silver) that could explain a single marking of the maker... Technically, still a hallmark / makers mark, that may be found at the silver marks site... They do try to cover a lot of bases, not JUST silver content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 'Could be... But, I've seen 800 silver that looks a lot like that with age. Often used in Germany, especially for utilitarian, or high-wear items. Both fit pretty well for this item. If it's a zinc/copper alloy (German Silver) that could explain a single marking of the maker... Technically, still a hallmark / makers mark, that may be found at the silver marks site... They do try to cover a lot of bases, not JUST silver content. I personally wouldn't claim silver in the subtitle of the item description on ebay without knowing that it's silver. The listing has several baseless claims about the thing. Masonic, silver, bowling award, none of which are even apparent in the pics. The color's wrong for silver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Your right on all counts, Delbert... But, I don't think any of those points are as important as the piece itself. It is beautifully crafted, definitely old, certainly a "bowling thing" and silver in basic color... Had he said "sterling," that would be far more wrong... I think Masonic is a definite error... But, it's not gonna fool any of the Masonic collectors!! With bids on it, it's too late to change that, now... Dustin (not to be confused with my son Dustin, who I've mentioned lately in other posts) is a good guy... I'm sure his intent was honorable. When this sells, it won't be for any of those reasons. It will be for it's amazing appeal to both marble and watch fob collectors. And, it should be at a price that won't be in the league of a newbie making a mistake... Although... There certainly seems to be someone out there spending HUGE money on marble stuff that a pro would run from!!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 More pics of the "clasp" part (opposite of the mark) might help narrow it down a bit more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm just conjecturing but maybe Catholic Bowling League, There's two relief images shown and one although sideways has a Madonna & Child look to it and I am exceedingly sensitive to that image. The other relief image has a vague halo. Anyway, definitely not Masonic from my perspective. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordiskul Posted February 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Ok , its not mosonic sorry , Delbert relax and have a coke and a smile ...selling it one more time with no res. $15.00 who know someone my get a bargin. Dustin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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