What Do You Think Of This One?

[MarbleClueless]

Greetings all!

Please move this post to the ID section if appropriate.

I found this marble mixed in a trunk from my Mom's. The contents of the trunk was circa 1890 - 1950s (give or take). There was some German Bisque dolls, Girl Scout memorialbia, Quilts, family bibles, a little of this and a little of that. This marble was in amoungst the things. Actually this was in a small jewlery box with (what certainly must be the origins of bobble-head) goose.

At first glance, the 15/16" marble seems rather un-remarkable. The first thing I noticed was it didn't "feel" like glass. Plus, there is a flat spot that seemed as if it might be faceted. Then, I noticed it glows brightly under the black-light. When I back-lit the marble you can see a "swirl" inside with faint blishish lines and what seems to be (some stretched) bubbles. The center of the "flat" spot is the pole. The other pole does not have a flat area.

I have never seen anything like it (not that I think I've seen it all by any means). It is hard to capture in pictures because it is a very subtle marble. So what do you think?

Thanks for looking!!

Suzie

[Chordus]

I'm pretty sure that it's Uranus.

That color is indeed a pain to get a picture of, especially if there are strands inside. The inside design, is it entirely due to bubbles, does it appear to be various shades of the same glass, or are the strands clearly a separate color from the base glass?

Also, what color does it fluoresce? I assume yellow, but it never hurts to be sure. Regardless of color, I've never seen a cyan marble with fluorescence, so you've got a pretty sweet find just on those grounds.

[bigjohn691500]

I'm pretty sure that it's Uranus.

I hope not, lol,,,,,, nice mib,,, bj

[david Chamberlain]

Does look planetoid! I must admit that I was stymied by "blishish lines" and totally went out of orbit as I was circling the marble. Maybe if you provided a photo of the bisque dolls I could be more helpful.....David

[roany poany]

... the 15/16" marble.......there is a flat spot that seemed as if it might be faceted.... seems you can see a "swirl" inside with faint blishish lines and what seems to be (some stretched) bubbles. The center of the "flat" spot is the pole. The other pole does not have a flat area.

given that info, it's screaming German Handmade to me.

[ann]

Me too. A melon ball. I like 'em but I don't have any myself. Do some fluoresce?

[semdot]

If it does not feel like glass maybe its plastic? How about an antipersperant roller ball?

[I'llhavethat1]

When backlit, if the stretched bubbles seem to be elongated in the direction of one "pole" to the opposite "pole" in a slightly twisted pattern that says handmade to me also. Nice color.

[david Chamberlain]

Well I've used up my auxiliary power firing my jets to get into orbit around this marble again and in the meantime referenced Paul Baumann's 4th Edition. Paul's not noted for exaggeration in determining values and he does know his antique handmades. For a 15/16" Melon Ball in green which is a color that turns up only around 17% of the time you'd be talking somewhere in the vicinity of $225, all other things being equal (condition foremost). David

[popeyecollector]

Before you jump into speculation and value - remove some doubt as to whether or not this funny feeling sphere is a plastic deodorant roller ball.

Heat the point of a pin, touch it to the surface of the "marble." If the hot needle melts into the surface of your "marble" - It is plastic - not glass.

[roany poany]

Before you jump into speculation and value - remove some doubt as to whether or not this funny feeling sphere is a plastic deodorant roller ball.

Heat the point of a pin, touch it to the surface of the "marble." If the hot needle melts into the surface of your "marble" - It is plastic - not glass.

^good advice^

[MarbleClueless]

Thanks for all the input!

I am very certain it isn't plastic. I thought it felt sorta like an agate. Truth be told, I really don't know if I could "feel" the difference if I was blindfolded....(but I think maybe I can)..

The strands, faint as they may be..do seem to be a different color. Yes, the bubbles are elongated along the pattern of the swirl. Pictures one and two are the best I could capture it.

The marble fluoresces greenish/yellow and very brightly at that. I tried to take a picture of that and failed

David, I sold the bisque German doll because she scared me! I've never seen such a frightening doll. She had Alma written on her back. Her mouth was sort of agape and she had four really weird teeth. I looked around to see if I still had pictures of her but apparently I thought it necessary to purge those as well...I can't imagine giving that thing to a child!

I had no idea they had roll-on antiperspirant in the 50s! Go figure!

Since Alma is no longer with us, I thought I'd take a picture of her sisters that got to stay. Plus, I have attached a picture of the little box and its contents which the marble lived.

Thank you very much!!

Suzie

[david Chamberlain]

Probably should add that the odds on having a single marble being a Melon Ball and turning up like this are astronomical additionally compounded exponentially by the smaller percentage of this color produced. David

[MarbleClueless]

You mean they normally are not found with a drawer pull, bobble goose, Borsalino matches, bibles, and quilts? While I think they are great, I haven't exactly figured out the significance of the items, myself. At least I seem to come about my eccentricities honestly!

Probably should add that the odds on having a single marble being a Melon Ball and turning up like this are astronomical additionally compounded exponentially by the smaller percentage of this color produced. David

[lstmmrbls]

Sure looks like an old handmade from here. The stretched bubbles are a dead giveaway IMO

[david Chamberlain]

Aside from the odds that I suggested I suspect that this marble should be honored as a bonafide handmade as well and a clear exhibition of your mother's innate marble discretion. The fact that she saved it says it all! Besides its pedigree the marble has serious sentimentality. It appears you got a goodun! I retain my mother's Lucky Marble.....David

[MarbleClueless]

lol..if you only knew....my mother saved EVERYTHING!! I come by that honestly, too!

Aside from the odds that I suggested I suspect that this marble should be honored as a bonafide handmade as well and a clear exhibition of your mother's innate marble discretion. The fact that she saved it says it all! Besides its pedigree the marble has serious sentimentality. It appears you got a goodun! I retain my mother's Lucky Marble.....David

[david Chamberlain]

Let me tell you just how cool my Mom was about all my childhood stuff. I temporarily cut out of college during my Jr. year and thumbed to California (from New England no less in 1960). A couple years later after I had precipitously `married and begun buying a home in Pasadena what arrives in the mail but a few boxes of my personal things: Big Little Books, Classics Illustrated Comics, Baseball Glove, you name it. And in each box a listing of every item included! Can you ask for anything more? I'll tell you, when my Dad died in 1988 I took it upon myself to spend most of the year each year between then and when my Mom died(1994) caretaking for my mother only going back to CA for some quick R&R or to catch a marble show in Seattle, etc. Did sort of put the kabosh on my second marriage! My mother got the greatest kick out of hearing what I had turned marbles around for. David

[MarbleClueless]

Wow...your Mom was great and organized! I helped my Mom and Dad move from their house of 30+ years in 2001 which is when I unearthed my childhood treasures. I told Mom it seemed the ONLY thing she hadn't saved was my contraband MAD Magazines she had confiscated. As I pointed out they might have been rather valuable. She replied...I loved reading those! I would have never put that together! My mom died on October 8th. I miss her a lot!

Let me tell you just how cool my Mom was about all my childhood stuff. I temporarily cut out of college during my Jr. year and thumbed to California (from New England no less in 1960). A couple years later after I had precipitously `married and begun buying a home in Pasadena what arrives in the mail but a few boxes of my personal things: Big Little Books, Classics Illustrated Comics, Baseball Glove, you name it. And in each box a listing of every item included! Can you ask for anything more? I'll tell you, when my Dad died in 1988 I took it upon myself to spend most of the year each year between then and when my Mom died(1994) caretaking for my mother only going back to CA for some quick R&R or to catch a marble show in Seattle, etc. Did sort of put the kabosh on my second marriage! My mother got the greatest kick out of hearing what I had turned marbles around for. David

[ann]

I loved my mother, but she threw everything away, all the time, even photos. Drove me nuts. Do you know how much I had to pay 40 years later to reclaim my Hopalong Cassidy Lunch Milk Glass??? Never have found my Britain's mounted horse guard regiment . . . [mutter]

Pretty sure that's a nice old melon ball. Good mom!