manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 In my huge auction purchase, I came across two zip lock bags of white marbles with pontil marks on both ends. Some of the marbles are opaque, some are translucent and some of the translucent ones have a slight blue tinge to them. They do not fluoresce under a black light. One of the pontil ends is sort of pointy and is more smooth than the other one. It juts out from the marble. They measure in the 17/32 to 5/8 range. Any ideas as to maker or values? Most of mine are mint although some have some tiny cracks...not the type caused by a hard hit or pressure, but the type caused by temperature changes. Here are some pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarbleDawg86 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 My first thought was the early game/ballot box white opaques.... Not 100% positive though...Now I'll just wait and see what others say..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I had always thought that they only had one pontil mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarbleDawg86 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I believe they can have either one or two pontils.... At least in the information I have read about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Cane cut marbles will have 2 cutoffs. one is usually rough and one smoother where it was pushed into the cup of the marble shears if shears were used. Sometimes the marble cane was very hot and nearly molten when cut so it will almost be finished smooth on one side. Those appear to be ballot box marbles and have little value to most collectors. Maybe a dollar each. I have some with very very feint color stripes on them.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks so much for the information. Did they use to have more value? The reason that I ask is that I got this from an auction lot from an auction that sold off a very old collection from someone who not only collected but sold marbles also and he had a price of $10 each on these. I do understand that they have little or no value now, but did they have more value in the past? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savage-28 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 After having many conversations with several 20 yr plus collectors, I believe many marbles have went down in average selling price. I would love to hear others thoughts on this, as well as, historical prices of handmades vs machine mades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Why not start a new thread? I will if you won't, but the last time I started a new thread, I was mocked for being a newbie and told that I was rocking the boat !!! lol. I can take it though so let me know what you want me to do? Thanks, Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 20-30 years ago any smll handmade seemed to have a thought of value of at least 10 dollars. I bought 30 about 15 years ago for a buck each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 If they're different colors they might be called mellon balls. (Yes, I think people spell "mellon" with two ells -- I don't know why.) I presume they'd bring a little more money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 They go with these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 so the two that I have that are a very pale translucent blue might be considered to be melon balls. Thanks, I will do some research on those. Thanks, Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarbleDawg86 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Yes, if its a color other than white or black, and somewhat translucent they are usually called mellons and are worth more. Usually pinks, blues, and greens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Melon Balls are usually in very standoutish pastel colors. Some of the translucent ballot marbles I have do appear pale blue. Like the edge of a milk glass dish or some moonies. I do not consider them Melon balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 My 1996 edition of Robert Blocks Marbles Identification and Price Guide prices either black or white 2 pontil opaque hand mades as being worth $10 for mint 5/8. $6 for near mint, and down to $3 for good and $1 for only collectible ones. He says that black and white are the most common, blue, pink and green, being more rare, and translucent ones and other colored opaques being more rare yet. He says that the translucent ones are worth 5 times the normal value of an opaque white or black one. I wonder whether that formula is still viable today. If a white opaque is worth a dollar, then a translucent white should be worth $5 and a translucent blue tinged one should be worth even more? That is, if the formula is still viable today. Hopefully it is, but for some reason, my gut is saying it isn't, that prices today, are more complicated than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 "More complicated" is a good way to say it. Some prices will be lower than those in the Block guide. Some will be higher. And the multiplier system can really get out of whack if you try to toss in more than one feature. The multiplier calculations once gave me a $2500 estimate on a marble which I eventually sold for $80. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Blocks prices are often way off the mark. As are most book values. I have many marbles that are pictured in Blocks books and on an average I would say I paid approx 50% for a pictured marble and a third or less for his values.. He does have a book out that had actual prices realized at auction that was for a time the most accurate price guide.available. Prices at shows and an averages sold price on ebay would be much more accurate. I saw a jar of approx. 25 nice translucent melon balls for sale for less than 15 dollars each. Show prices today are way off of book prices. Currently many marbles except HTF and Rarer types are at a near all time low in worth. Sometimes folks pay way to much for some marbles on ebay and people get all excited thinking that is a value for their marble only to be very sad when they sell theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 And then when you have things mostly figured out you see a cat eye sell for $100 and everything gets turned upside down again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I have Block's auction prices book. It is an interesting read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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