marbles34 Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Hey guys and gals! I recently picked up this blizzard mica and was wondering what everyone thought of it?? The marble measures a little over 1 1/2" and it has a translucent blue core shrunk inside the mica. The pontils on it are still there but I believe they have been remelted with a tourch?? They are unlike the traditional german pontil. The marble also has a lot of "orange peel" on the surface, would remelting the marble cause this?? What does everyone think?? Is it an old shrunking onion with mica that has been remelted? Or is a good example of a contemporary marble made to look old?? Thanks for the help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Does the core have a lobed effect? If so I'm thinking a really odd but older example not new work. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 I am going to go with newer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbles34 Posted December 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Yes, the core does have a lobed effect to it on two sides of the marble. Ill try to get a picture of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Assuming the color is as intense as it appears on the screen this would lend a stronger possibility towards it being newer. What were the circumstances under which you cam by this marble? Any hints there? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbles34 Posted December 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 The blue in the marble is alot darker than the pictures show. The light makes it look much brighter. The blue core reminds me of a jelly core that is sometimes seen in german handmades. I picked this marble up off ebay on a chance. The picture was bad and I was "told" they got it in an estate sale quite a few years ago? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfish Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Can you take a photo of it underwater so we can better see the lobes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I am not sure it's a newer marble because of two major things: 1) the punty mark is not like the ordinary punty mark left by a glass or metal holding rod that I see when I make my marbles. This one seems to have a slight twist as if it were cut off like in the older days. 2) the orange peel on the surface (if I am seeing that correctly) is too consistent to be made using today's equipment. the molds will leave chill marks but not in that pattern of orange peel look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbles34 Posted December 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Here are some pics of it underwater. They show the shrunking core and the lobing of the marble a little better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbles34 Posted December 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Some more pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Chamberlain Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 They sure didn't spare the mica! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 With those pics I am sticking with newer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfish Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Is there a really slight glow under UV? Also looks like a funky spot on there........patched maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I would not rule out a redo. The main reason I believe it to be new work is I have never(unless dug)seen a marble of this stature with such funky unfinished pontils. The surface also looks wrong to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfish Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I would not rule out a redo. The main reason I believe it to be new work is I have never(unless dug)seen a marble of this stature with such funky unfinished pontils. The surface also looks wrong to me. I agree about the surface. But that one photo looks to show a discolored section of the clear glass. Just wondering if it isn't a patch job and the "fixer" fudged up the surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JVVmarbles Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I'm almost sure this one is modern. Here's a pic of an antique cased blizzard mica. This one has a highly facetted pontil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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