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Where To Start Re: Marbles


Eric70

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\ Hello,

I am new in trying to collect/identify marbles. I have alot ( although probably not alot to you guys) of different marbles that I have accumulated. I have some that were handed down, some that were purchased from yard sales, some that were found while dump digging bottles and cans, and some that were found in attics. I Don't know the first thing about marbles and how to identify or value them. What would a beginner such as myself first need to get as a resource? It seems, in trying to do some research, that a person who is trying to collect/identify marbles needs to be around people who have the hands-on experience and knowledge about such things. I am in a really rural area and I would doubt that there are any marble collectors in my area. So what would any of you have to offer in this case? Thanks for the help

Eric

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Maybe you could put a little ad in your local paper saying you're interested in meeting someone who collects marbles. The best way to learn is to get with someone who's collected for quite a few years. Get books, go to shows......just don't spend a lot until you know what you're doing.

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First try to sort your marbles by type and pattern. Don't sort by color. You should end up with the following major categories

1. Non glass marbles - Lots of subtypes but just group them all together for now.

2. Hand made marbles - These will all have one or more usually two pontil marks. Pontils are like pimples on opposite ends of the marbles. Once you see one or two they are not hard to identify.

3. Game marbles - all marbles with just one solid color, clear or opaque, are not collectable (rare exceptions).3

4. Catseyes - Clear marbles with colored glass inside. Some collectable but mostly not.

5. Baseballs - a distinctive pattern of 4 lines that look like a baseball.

6. Patch and ribbon - A patch on one end and a line around the equator.

7. Corkscrew - One line spirals from end to end without crossing.

8. Slags - White opaque glass inside a transparent color base.

9. Swirls - Everything that isn't one of the above.

There is a lot more to it than that, and each type has subtypes and sometimes named color combinations. Try to sort by marbles that look like they were produced by the same machine or process, in other words similar construction. After the initial sort, pick one of your colorful piles and post a picture here. We will help with breaking them down farther.

As far as remote location, how do you know one of your close neighbors is not a closet marble collector? Do they all know you have marbles?

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Thanks to all of you who are helping me along. To answer and respond to some of your posts along the way: Good idea, maybe I should try and post an ad in the local paper. I am in northern Maine, my town has a population of about 150, while I do not know everyone, I do know alot of people and alot of people know that I have some marbles. As small towns go, if someone knows you're into something they will tell you that so-and-so is also into whatever the topic may be at the time. Word of mouth is everything around here and I haven't heard about anyone being interested in marbles, that's why placing ad my be advantageous. I will sort my marbles out over the next day or so. I am going to say I have +/- 100 marbles. Thanks for the general catagories that marbles fall into. That will help in my sorting. I did read a post prior to even posting my topic here, and it was referring to the size of a marble. Is there an actual sizing tool that one can get? I would imagine something similar to sizing nuts and bolts, or drill bits. Thanks again.

Eric

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post-3006-130124208374_thumb.jpgpost-3006-130124207072_thumb.jpg Here are a few snapshots of the marbles that I have. I don't know if I've grouped them correctly. Of all of these groups there are different sized marbles within them. I have 5 snapshots in total. I will post them following this post.
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The last one is a Peltier Rainbo. :)

Some might call it a 7-up.

You have a couple of bumblebees. (the yellow and black ones). those are popular, from Marble King. Also those are a good example of the "patch and ribbon" pattern.

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