William Marbles Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Hi Everyone, Thought I would share some before/after pictures Rich just sent to me on some work we sent out to him. Most of these were beyond hope, but look at what a Master can do with fire and skill. WOW!!! Great job Rich!!! Can't wait to see them in my hand. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeperman Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Quite impressive, Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks you guys. These took 5 hours of work and I used almost a full tank of oxygen during the repair. I can't wait to see how the reaction is when they see these in hand as pictures don't do them justice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wediscount2 Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks you guys. These took 5 hours of work and I used almost a full tank of oxygen during the repair. I can't wait to see how the reaction is when they see these in hand as pictures don't do them justice. Fantastic work Rich, Very impressive to say the least. Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 I agree. Seeing those first two I thought to myself there was no way they could look good again. But they look great now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FISHSLAYERMARRBLEGRIFF Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Nice reserection!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sissydear Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Rich, I can't mail your newsletters because you haven't updated your address, Please PM me your new address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg11 Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Rich, Try a tank of medical nitrous oxide next time instead of oxygen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Definitely a lot of color came through. The pattern 'adjustment' I need to think about a bit more, but looking at the before and after pictures I'm sure you're happier as it doesn't seem like there was a whole lot of visibility going in anyways and there's only so much that can be done with marbles beat to shite like that anyways Interesting work and to see the clear base come through on the last one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks Griff - these were not easy! PM sent Edna - thanks! Greg - cute! I needed a laugh! I'll havethat1 - there was no way to see under the mess so I had to make a guess as what was there under the abuse on some of them to attempt to capture the maker's original work. I want to thank William for trusting me with these as it is always an uncertain thing on how the old glass will react being reheated up to melting temperatures once again - 150 years later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Marbles Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Here was the size break down on these... -2 1/4" mine-1 7/8" mine-2 1/8"-1 5/8"-1 5/8"- 11/16" mine My friend and I was laughing at the first one, because it looks like a square from the top. I've had mine for over a year, was going to polish them when I got my machine running. But figured I would have to take off way too much glass. So off to Rich's Magic Shop for some TLC. I'm glad I choose this route. The way I figure, these marbles had a loving-exciting life and now were forgotten. Now, maybe they will have another 150 years of life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopacki Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Rich,I too do a bit of conservation on the old marbles, my largest so far is just under two inches smallest less than half inch. I have an onionskin that is over two but have set it aside for now. I have attached 2 images of my favorite on to date.All my best ..... Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Hi Danny, do you torch them or polish them? Have any before pix? Thanks Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopacki Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Rich,The first images I will post from start to finish are of the German marble bead that got me somewhat obsessed with German marbles over the past 18 or so months. The bead was put on the trades pages at the beadcollector.net with the statement that the person had tried in vain to sell it on fleabay and that if someone did not buy it off of the trade page he was going to take a hammer to it.Well I had always wanted a true as made German marble bead so I bought it, after I received it I decided to do some magic to it. The images show the stages I went through from start to final polish.Having been a lapidary/jeweler for a living since 1977 I do all of my work on the marbles by hand. The first thing I do is balance out the outer layer of glass which as we both know is never equally layered on the marble. I then go through various stages to get to the final polish.All my best ........ Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopacki Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Rich, This marble was one of the first I purchased and I got really lucky on it, once I got it done it ended up being a 3 layer that is quite large it finished at 43 mm 1.69 inch. I have others that I took images of prior to working on them and will post more when I have time. To date I have conserved nearly 100 German marbles some that are truly thrilling. All my best . Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Marbles Posted August 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Hi Danny, I like your word... conserved. So you are polishing? Not remelt? Nice looking end results!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 Nice work Danny! Polishing is a great way to remove surface damage and I recommend it highly. Saying that, if there are cracks, a lot of abuse (like those in the pictures) or huge divots, I don't think polishing it would be the ticket. Polishing takes the entire surface down to the lowest damage and torching allows the higher amount of glass to flow into the deep abuse. The owner must make the decision to the method of repair. Both techniques have their risks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 polishing can also remove a lot of value from a marble or bead that is not in poor condition to start with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 True that is Galen what you posted but I think collectors know that already - but value is what to you? Is it always about the mighty $? I am sure if a person likes the marble AND it is beat-up anyway AND worth next to nothing money-wise, polishing it or torching it will be FAR better in the long run to have a next to perfect marble to be emotionally tied to rather than a piece of junk. I am certain you understand that simple situation. For example, great great grandpa's shooter might be really beat-up and the great great grandchild wants it back to what it was when great great granddad was a child, I am sure the kid doesn't care what the resale value for a beat-up marble would be one bit. Polishing or torching this piece of family history giving back to the child a resemblance of what great great granddad played with is very satisfying to the child. This is one reason I repair marbles - for the owner to be pleased emotionally with the new looking marble and so far, you seem to be the only one to point out a money loss for the new look. Please keep an open mind about the ART of repairing old marbles - it is more important than any money loosed or gained in future sales IF the owner chooses that path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnome Punter Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 True that is Galen what you posted but I think collectors know that already - but value is what to you? Is it always about the mighty $? I am sure if a person likes the marble AND it is beat-up anyway AND worth next to nothing money-wise, polishing it or torching it will be FAR better in the long run to have a next to perfect marble to be emotionally tied to rather than a piece of junk. I am certain you understand that simple situation. For example, great great grandpa's shooter might be really beat-up and the great great grandchild wants it back to what it was when great great granddad was a child, I am sure the kid doesn't care what the resale value for a beat-up marble would be one bit. Polishing or torching this piece of family history giving back to the child a resemblance of what great great granddad played with is very satisfying to the child. This is one reason I repair marbles - for the owner to be pleased emotionally with the new looking marble and so far, you seem to be the only one to point out a money loss for the new look. Please keep an open mind about the ART of repairing old marbles - it is more important than any money loosed or gained in future sales IF the owner chooses that path. Now I am curious to how mine are going to look Rich,were those marbles I sent you, for you ok ? My son went through the jar for that marble you circled in the image and never found it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 Personally I would never have had any thing done to that last bead Danny posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Marbles Posted August 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 The size was what kept them from 'whatever faith' was in store for them. 1" range, I would have just passed them one to someone else. As far as value goes. I think everything I sent out to Rich to work on, was in "Collectible" condition, with maybe the last one, Lutz Onionskin, being in "Good" condition. In hand it was pretty well beating up and quite a bit of missing glass. I think they now have gained some value and 'eye appeal' as well. "Big German Handmades All Original - Remelt Mint!" LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopacki Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 When I first started to conserve these wonderful little pieces of art work I had more than a few people tell me that they would not be worth as much to marble collectors. This did not matter to me one way or the other as I was more interested I showing the art of the marble rather than making it worth more or less. I think richsantaclaus said it so well I won’t dwell on this part of the topic.Galen may or may not believe what I say next but many of the marbles I have purchased have or will be made into beads for all of the bead freaks out there that cannot afford a true as made German marble bead (very expensive).To give Galen an example, early on I purchased a very nice polished German marble from Ebay, I paid far too much, but at the time I had yet done any conservation. I then had a friend ask me to drill a killer German marble for him that was nearly 1 3/4 inch. As I had never drilled a marble of any kind I decided to drill my Ebay purchased marble as practice prior to drilling his. All worked out well and I did my friends marble for him. The Ebay marble cost me 150.00 drilling cost a little time, the first person that saw this bead had no problem giving me 300.00 for it. Don’t know if this work made the marble worth more or less but it sure made a very nice bead, I think something is only worth what you get for it.Images include Ebay marble I practiced on and my friends marble on a 4mm silver chain. All my best ......... Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopacki Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 Nice work Danny! Polishing is a great way to remove surface damage and I recommend it highly. Saying that, if there are cracks, a lot of abuse (like those in the pictures) or huge divots, I don't think polishing it would be the ticket. Polishing takes the entire surface down to the lowest damage and torching allows the higher amount of glass to flow into the deep abuse. The owner must make the decision to the method of repair. Both techniques have their risks too. Thank you Rich, I had never seen work done on marbles with torching until I came to this forum. I am amazed at what can be done with such a damaged marble. I am taking as little off the surface of the marbles I am working on as possible. My main concern is not to intrude into the end, this said many of the marbles I conserve still have quite a few dings in them. I have posted quite a few of my marbles on a bead collector forum and in doing so have had more than a few German marble/ German marble bead collectors ask me to do a little magic on some of their marbles. The image I am attaching is a very large marble I did for one of those people who is both a bead collector and a marble collector. I think the results speak for themself and I can tell you that the person that had me do this is far more thrilled with what they have now over what they sent to me. Finished size of this marble 53.25 mm 2.09 inch All my best ........ Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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