manylittle Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 This is the weirdest popeye I've ever seen. Almost all of the popeyes I have seen and had, have had the colors mostly on the outside of the marble. This one, though, you can see that the colors go deep into the center of the marble like a ribbon corkscrew would. Is it an experimental? Does this characteristic make it rare or special? Opinions would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 more pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 I don't remember ever hearing anyone talk about it. It's sort a cool. "Experimental" is a word I avoid. I think it's overused. Someone once posted that Akro's true experimental marbles were large -- I can't remember how large -- should look that up -- but I think it was at least 3/4". Might have been 1". He sounded like he knew what he was talking about. But a lot of people seem to use "experimental" for marbles which were likely just rejects. And sometimes oddballs just happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Thanks for that information on experimental. I thought it was overused for anything that someone could not identify. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeperman Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 It is a nice Popeye, but not so much special unless an individual prefers this particular type. I use type loosely here. I have a few like this. There is a wide range of fullness to the point of being so full that there is not enough clear for some to consider them a popeye at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 There is plenty of 'clear' in this one. I've got it up on ebay so I'll let the buying public decide how desirable or not it is. Keep your fingers crossed for me.!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaboo Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 "Experimental" is a word I avoid. I think it's overused. Someone once posted that Akro's true experimental marbles were large -- I can't remember how large -- should look that up -- but I think it was at least 3/4". Might have been 1". He sounded like he knew what he was talking about.... naw.. just not so. experimentals start around 9/16". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 What a great group of slags. I like the second row from the top, second marble from the left...maker? Thanks so much ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaboo Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 These are all experimental dug akros. only a few have slag like qualities. most are opaque or close to. found over 10 feet down, original factory site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savage-28 Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 I think she's referring, to all of these, as being Akro experimentals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Or are those experimentals from the huge load of marbles brought over from MFC???? And Like many others believe experimental is a word to totally avoid when talking mrbles, unless you were there when someone was experimenting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 I wish someone would write a book on the history of marble making, company by company....not the general types that are out there, but a real detailed one. So that things like Galen is talking about, the bringing over of MFC marbles to the Akro site and thus, getting mixed up with akros when dug and who knows what is what, especially with 'experimentals' . Does this make sense? Is there a need to put all of this detailed information together in one place...whether that be online or on paper, or maybe both. I sometimes find it hard to say what I mean so hope you are following my pea sized, but enthusiastic brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Do you have American Machine-Made Marbles, by Dean Six, Susie Metzler and Michael Johnson? That has a lot of history in it. Maybe not the definition of "experimental". The guy who said experimentals were large marbles was Alan -- they guy with all the Claudias, not Alan Basinet. I don't know the source of his information. It might have been specific to the era in which corkscrews were being made. I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaboo Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Or are those experimentals from the huge load of marbles brought over from MFC???? And Like many others believe experimental is a word to totally avoid when talking mrbles, unless you were there when someone was experimenting. HMMM... so then you would be saying MFC did indeed make red? None of these match up to MFC color palettes. if it makes you smile Galen, we can call then nonproduction, or accidental? as none like these have been found in any advertising or salesman samples. I understand that when MFC went out of business, akro bought the remaining inventory, for resale. is this what you mean or do you know of another large load of marbles brought from MFC? prior to that they use to buy marbles and fill boxes prior to moving to Clarksburg. onyx types. As more info is discovered, we have certainly seen a lot of beliefs change over the years. but we have no reason to doubt our source on these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Just stirring.. Yes they came from Akrp dirt. (but what did they do with all the leftover MFC stuff when they went into their own production? These are definitely the type of marble I would imagine as being early experiments(and probably Akro) And probably to mimic marbles like they bought from MFC.. Small batches handgathered various sizes, all makes sense that experiments would be done in small similar batches which would be handgathered to the rollers as why would an experimenst be done in batches large enough to have to clean out a furnace before the next batch. I think most so called experimentals are just run overs between batches screwed up batches etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaboo Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 If Akro bought out MFC's remaining marbles for resale purposes, why would they have wound up in the dirt? It doesn't make sense. zOr am I entirely mis-understanding here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 They bought all of MFCs marbles and other stuff(including some equipment) at one time. Who is to say MFC was not doing tests and experiments and saved the neater material. Not a stretch to think it then got shipped with all the other stuff. Then it did not match what Akro was already using from MFC so they tossed it? A possibility, maybe but I wasn't there?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaboo Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 just to add a little more confusion, the other marbles found with these were the burnt sparklers. ;-) check page 79 of 'mfc, and the perfect glass ball machine'. I am betting that most of what akro bought were the bricks. just a hunch, since i was not there either. also in that book is reference as to the colors MFC used. They also did experiementation, (but according to the book, these were usually done by factory workers and taken home).. but I doubt akro would have dumped them. they would of either sold them or used the glass? and to get back to the topic, we also have this style popeye, and auger types etc. sorry for threat jacking... (shame on us Galen.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeperman Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 I really should have some of those then, to go with my burnt sparkler. =} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaboo Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 maybe................ not sure who's arm you'll have to twist tho.. LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted February 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 Would it be safe to say that there were significantly fewer of this type of popeye than the regular ones? As far as thread jacking goes, I have learned so much here that I did not even notice....learning is a good thing...Speaking of learning,....do you have a pic of a burnt sparkler? Thanks so much if you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeperman Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 Yes, I do. This is a burnt silver oxblood sparkler type as referred to above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mon Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mon Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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