French marbles

[J_Ding]

Helpful.  I've got a few of these, and now I know.  The photos are great, and show many of these show quite a bit of 'orange' peel on the surface...which should be helpful too.  John

[ManofKent]

21 hours ago, winnie said:

The following is written in the article "Dutch marbles roll over the globe"":

Since the war,the German marble manufacturing disappeared and the Netherlands only has one marble factory,

Also France still has a marble factory,but thats all there is in Europe.

The largest marble producer is Japan.

 

Thanks Winnie. I don't know whether any of the numerous small glassworks in the South of France produced marbles as a sideline. Large scale production in Europe definitely died after the war.

[ManofKent]

39 minutes ago, J_Ding said:

Helpful.  I've got a few of these, and now I know.  The photos are great, and show many of these show quite a bit of 'orange' peel on the surface...which should be helpful too.  John

Yes they're not the finest finished marbles in the world, but they have a naive charm. I don't know whether they're distinctive enough to separate from say Dutch marbles (Any thoughts Winnie?).

[winnie]

Not all the Euro sparklers  have orange peel,some of them have a smooth surface.

Your question about the Dutch marbles,I've never seen orange peel on them.

[ManofKent]

Thanks Winnie - so orange peel might at least be a pointer towards French.

[ManofKent]

Possibly one for Winnie's view, but I think these are probably French too (bought in the UK, all 18mm diameter):

 

[winnie]

Indeed,there is a large variety in Euro sparklers,and they're easy to find in the UK.

[ManofKent]

8 minutes ago, winnie said:

Indeed,there is a large variety in Euro sparklers,and they're easy to find in the UK.

 

Those are a beautiful group Winnie.

[Steph]

How hard should it be to find the name of the French company ... since we know there was one?

 

[ManofKent]

8 minutes ago, Steph said:

How hard should it be to find the name of the French company ... since we know there was one?

 

My schoolboy French and google hasn't worked yet

[Steph]

Only one semester of French for me.

Wonder if there is some government official who might know that kind of thing.  (Was trying to remember what we did in the Long Ago before The Time of Google.   It's so distant now but I remember asking librarians and government clerks.  Or my mother.  She was a librarian. :D) 

[ManofKent]

1 hour ago, Steph said:

Only one semester of French for me.

Wonder if there is some government official who might know that kind of thing.  (Was trying to remember what we did in the Long Ago before The Time of Google.   It's so distant now but I remember asking librarians and government clerks.  Or my mother.  She was a librarian. :D) 

I worked in a college library many years back I must try old contacts

I've found a bit on clay and stone marble production:

From Wikipedia.fr

"Created in 1876 in the Drôme by Alexandre Barral, the family company began making stone balls, before embarking in 1928 in the production of ball clay. It ceases in 1935 and during the Second World War , fuel shortages leading to abandon cooking. The balls are now made with a mixture of lime and cement artificial, but we continue to call "ground balls." Faced with competition balls in Asian or American origin glass, Barral are forced to close the plant in 1984 . From 1985 to 1998 , the ball remains present in the region through the museum dedicated to him, operated by the Guilhot family building owner. In 1998 , Mr Desbois revival production of ground balls by creating society balls and Traditions, but economic difficulties forced him to close late February 2009 . The plant was acquired (machinery and know-how) by Yves Renou and settled near Limoges toSaint-Maurice-les-Brousses , in Haute-Vienne , since March 2009 . in the original building in Mirabel-et-Blacons , the museum of the ball is now managed by the association "L'Usine Ball", which aims its rehabilitation and renovation of the building. It traces the history of drômoises factories ( Saoû , Cobonne and Mirabel-et-Blacons) were the main French plants ball play. "

[ManofKent]

A site for the preservation of a clay ball making factory: http://usineabilles.over-blog.com/pages/Fabriquer_un_circuit_de_billes_1_le_circuit_en_sable-3951189.html

I may be getting somewhere!

[Steph]

*high five*

[ManofKent]

I've found a contemporary French Marble producer - only clearies and probably more for decorative purposes, but the company has a long history and appears to have absorbed other glass companies, one of which might have been a marble maker...  I'll try and contact them.

http://www.veramy.com/fr-96-Billes-en-verre.html

 

Google translate...

"History it is CA. 1890 that was born the ancestor of VERAMY. Under the name CARMONTRAND, this company was specialized in the manufacture and sale of adornments for brides.

In 1900, CARMONTRAND, DOMPTET, CARLIER THEIBERT homes and House SAVARY merge and become the LAMOTTE SARL with establishment headquartered rue Charlot in Paris, in the heart of the Marais.

 It was at this time that appear the first globes blown glass essentially dedicated to the protection of adornments for brides and clocks. It was in 1930 that the seat is transferred Street Saintonge in Paris.
 The first art showcases golden leaf gold for national museums are beginning to be made at this time.

 In 1946, the company moved at 3 avenue du Clos at la Varenne Saint Hilaire (94).

In 2003, William WOOD took over the company VERAMY in order to perpetuate the manufacture of windows for the protection of objects of art, globes blown glass, curved glass and other products such as glass, glass beads, sandblasting on glass tubes..."

[Steph]

 

[ManofKent]

No luck in confirming the factory/factories that produced marbles in France so far, but another group of French Sparklers came my way...

 

 

[Steph]

aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

*happy sigh*

[ManofKent]

More likely French marbles -