Steph Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Discussion of coin sulphides made me hunt this one up. This sold on ebay. I don't know who won it. The feedback I've received makes me lean toward it being old, but not positive. Actually rereading some old comments on it is making me lean even more toward old. So I probably don't need to post this now. But since I already have it typed, I will go ahead with it! LOL. It's a different looking mib, huh? Here was the seller's description: Original 1858 dated Liberty Seated quarter sulfide marble. This is quite a rare subject for a sulfide marble. The marble is made with clear glass. Our photos were taken on a black background thusly making the glass look very dark. There are some tiny insignificant moons & a few insignificant scratches on the surface. There are no chips. The diameter is 1 1/2". The bottom edge shows an area where the pontil was smoothed down in the making. The center has a fairly accurate white sulfide rendition of an 1858 United States quarter. The "quarter" in the marble is larger than an actual quarter of this period. The "quarter" in the marble has a diameter of 1 5/16". The 1858 date clearly shows on the side with the figure of Liberty Seated. There is a bubble in the glass which is over about 1/2 of Liberty. So, you must hold the marble at an angle to see the details of this part of Liberty under the bubble. The reverse with the eagle can be viewed completely looking straight on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted March 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Interesting votes so far. 6 for definitely modern. 1 for likely modern. 2 for likely vintage. One for no idea. (One of the likely vintage votes is mine.) What is it which says "definitely modern" to so many? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popculturizm Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 To me would be the clarity of the glass, and the imperfections with the embedding of the coin IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Based solely on the photos - I would presume it to be of modern creation. The glass and the figure look "all wrong". I prefer to not offer specific diagnostics to avoid helping an artist clean up their game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfisher Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 IMO the glass looks to be to new and the sulphide doesn't look right... I would say nay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 I wouldn't even venture to guess based on the pictures... I agree that the glass looks very clear. But, that could be for real or it could be the pics... Without MUCH better pictures of the surface of the glass & pontil, there's no way to be sure. I know there is a known vintage coin figure... Is that the coin?? That's not how I remember it... 'Sure looks similar to the eagle Benningtons doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popculturizm Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Here's another thought, would a German manufacturer use an American Coin?, I think most of the Sulphides with coins that I have seen have European Coins in them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 The fact that it is an American coin in negative relief really says fake to me. The real coin sulfides are positive reliefs made from molds. Not a quarter pressed into some clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted March 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Not exactly a quarter pressed into clay. I was confused by the negative relief, but if it was pressed in, the image would come out backwards. right? I had misread something Alan said earlier. I thought he would be on the side of vintage. Now I'm down to one person I know saying likely vintage in private, and one anonymous vintage voter here. This one surprised me! Glad I posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 Good call on the reversing of the imprint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 I wouldn't be surprised if an American coin was used... They knew where the bulk of their market was. There is definitely a known "McKinley" sulphide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn691500 Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 pics 1 and 6 looks like its hand polished,, bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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