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Akro Ades


Steph

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Nice mibs. And not just Carnelians - Red Striped Carnelians, interesting. I wish they were in a mesh bag, but why not, I guess. Could I be any more non-commital? lol. I do agree with Galen though - that Cornelians show some translusence:

Ric590_zpsepasbh7b.jpg

Backlit in hand, the left is distinctly orange and the right is distinctly red.

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I should have looked this up earlier. I forgot it existed.

Here's a 1914 ad mentioning the Red Striped Carnelian:

1914_12_ClarksburgAkro_Playthings_b.jpg

So whatever was in the box, it was one of Akro's early Clarksburg offerings.

P.s., I need to go back and add a credit to the Red Striped Carnelian box post .... the box belongs or belonged to Jeff Lewis. Very special find.

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Akro claimed that Cornelians came in "assorted sizes". How long Akro made them is another question. I think their run was three years or less.

Now I am a little confused, since the marbles I show, which I think may be Cornelians, look hand gathered, and the add is from 1926.

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Now I am a little confused, since the marbles I show, which I think may be Cornelians, look hand gathered, and the add is from 1926.

Akro didn't start with machine-mades until 1927, so they'd still be advertising hand-gathered ones in 1926. Probably just their own by then, but I certainly wouldn't swear to it . . .

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I got so much great education about agates a while back, that I hate to be greedy.

But now I have to ask one more. :blush:

Is Akro's statement that the Cornelian "... greatly exceeds a real agate in durability" accurate?

Do collectors consider their agates to be on the delicate side?

Or is the distinction mostly significant for marbles used for serious play? Thanks.

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I got so much great education about agates a while back, that I hate to be greedy.

But now I have to ask one more. :blush:

Is Akro's statement that the Cornelian "... greatly exceeds a real agate in durability" accurate?

Do collectors consider their agates to be on the delicate side?

Or is the distinction mostly significant for marbles used for serious play? Thanks.

I've pondered that one before also and I can't imagine why they thought that claim would fly.

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I agree, it sort of depends on what they mean by "durability" though. The Mohs Hardness of agate is about 36% greater than glass, but that's just "scratchability". Anyone care to look into pressure loading characteristics? lol.

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A few years later real onyx sellers would win a false advertising suit against glass "onyx" sellers.

But I guess up until then folks didn't worry so much about being questioned if they tried to make their glass sound like stone.

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(Whoops. That should have said "question". I have to ask one more question.

But you knew what I meant. Still, tomorrow morning my editor gets his 'walking papers'.)

Hah! Thanks for the responses!

Honestly, I didn't have a clue, but somehow it just sounded like advertising hype.

I was 'chicken' to say so, for fear that maybe the entire world except me already

knew that agates were 'soft' and I'd sound stupid. :blush:

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Here is why they are better than glass. They take a licking and keep on ticking. Bruise but don't break. This one must have won quite a few games of ringer. And the story goes the kids would stick em in Crisco and the little moons disappear. Never tried it.

old_warrior.jpg

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