Eliciting Marble Information

[MarbleClueless]

Greetings,

(please move to ID section if preferred)

Over the weekend I visited a person that had marbles for sale on Craigs List. As far as I can tell, he seems to be spending his retirement as a Quasi "American Picker". He told me he had accumulated his collection over several years. It seems that would be true as he had a bunch of many different kinds. He mainly had common vintage but a few nice marbles, and some junk. He had 2 nice German swirls but they didn't seem to be extraordinary (granted I don't know the hand-made all that well).

I made him a modest offer on a few I selected out. I have a feeling he was thinking they were worth a whole lot more (he had heard tales of a $1k sulfide). There was another person that was going to look at them this week so he wanted to see if they offered more etc etc. Of course, Its not uncommon to see some terrible junk sell at staggering prices at auctions around here so maybe he will get a lot better of an offer.

ok..the moral of the story is I took pictures of two of his marbles and told him I'd try to find out about them. I want to follow up with him, if possible, to illustrate what a stand-up kinda person I am (even if he doesn't ever sell me his marbles). Truth be told I just like being a stand-up kinda person.

Actually, I probably sparked the interest in the 1st marble because it perked my interest. I haven't seen one like it. I think it is aventurine but I'm not sure because this just doesn't look like anything I've seen before. Taking pictures was hard in this building (oversized garage) but one of them came out ok. The marble was about 3/4 inch and I'm fairly sure it was glass.

The 2nd marble is probably about a 2" contemp. I couldn't really see that well (and was hoping the pics would but they don't) but I believe it was signed with maybe a butterfly mark??? It is difficult to pick out the mark because of the background of the marble (which I really can't say what is but like I said I don't see well)...

So can you help educate me so I can really impress this guy and maybe buy a few marbles at a reasonable price (I already figure that's a "fat chance")

Thank you very very very much!!!!!!!!!!!

[david Chamberlain]

I have no idea what's happening with that first marble. One of the pics makes it look like a Lined Crockery with aventurine but that couldn't be. I'm at a loss there. But your second one is made by Josh Simpson and is called an Inhabited Planet. He is from Shelburne, Mass. His marbles of this kind have continents, oceans, clouds, satellites....As Marilyn Barrett states "Small dream worlds we can hold in our hands." His 5 inch ones get big bucks like $1500+. A 2" one I imagine could be $400 these days but I'm not up on what his marbles are commanding. Put his name up there on maybe Land of Marbles and see what Pete is offering his marbles for if he is. Davcid

[Alan]

I agree that the second is a Simpson Inhabited Planet - bit something is not quite right about it. Josh doesn't normally release pieces that look like that. Perhaps it is some very early work.

[lstmmrbls]

It almost looks like someones attempt to mimic his work. Or a simple practice piece Josh did?? Hard to tell what the first one is.

[david Chamberlain]

The opaque white background does look a little different. Often the satellite will have a trail of bubbles behind it. By satellite I'm meaning the thing you identified as a butterfly. David

[Ally Opp]

With the prices that were suggested by David on that comtemp marble.....I'd be leary of someone else trying to fake one of Josh's marbles. One thing I have learned from this site is that the "gut" feelings that are offered by the advanced collectors are just about right on.

[david Chamberlain]

I really don't know for sure but I wouldn't be surprised if Josh Simpson had a Copyright on the name Inhabited Planet. They surely deserve it. David

P.S. Oh, the prices I quoted or extrapolated from are from Mark Block's "Contemporary Marbles and Related Art Glass" 2001

[lstmmrbls]

Check these outSimpson MibsThe inhabited planets seem to have a planet surrounded in clear.

[david Chamberlain]

Looks like my guesstimates were pretty much right in there for the 2"+ one. And I guess I really should have referenced Bert's site considering he and Rosalie are such good friends. Talk about the Mother Lode when it comes to contemporary marbles! David

[zaboo]

the first marble is an alley with aventurine. probably bigger than 3/4" more like 7/8"?

[marboman]

Clueless,the first marble you have there is what aventurine looks like on a white marble.I have a NLR around here somewhere that is white with aventurine ribbons,no base color.Did they run out of color or just an error?

[david Chamberlain]

Wow! I'd have never in a thousand years have come up with Alley Agate on that 1st one. Really kind of a non-descript marble all told. I'm floored! Not one that I'd necessarily have been lusting after for my Alley collection. Then I can't get too turned on by the chalkies. David

[lstmmrbls]

It looks from Berts site that if he signs he signs with initials and numbers(date??) or his name.

[MarbleClueless]

Thank you all for the great information. I appreciate it a lot. Mission must have been accomplished because when I passed the info along the guy asked me if I would be interested in selling all of his marbles for a 50-50 split. Hmmm....that's not exactly what I had in mind....maybe I'll sell those I selected out, to myself, at the price I offered...then it would only be 1/2 price. Return the rest and call it a day......too bad I can't really do that.....

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ann]

the first marble is an alley with aventurine. probably bigger than 3/4" more like 7/8"?

That's what I was thinking -- they usually just have more (or deeper) blue . . .