Seams confusing, aren't they?

[Vancecrash]

It is me or are the seam on the same face of this one? They are not on opposite sides of the marble. What does this mean, and who made this?

Edited August 10, 2018 by Vancecrash

[Steph]

Looks like a Pelt to me.

And Pelt is no stranger to squirrely patterns.  

Sometimes it will look like three seams in one view because of how the marble folded to get both real seams onto the same side.

[Vancecrash]

I get ya, I was thinking pelt myself. So what about this hole. What do you make of it? It really doesn't look as if it was from play. It's rather deep, and steep sloped. It's also more triangular rather than round like a chip. A bubble somewhat shallow, near the surface ish  that then chipped? Maybe this is a rediculous question to ask speculation on?

[Steph]

Suddenly I can't remember the term.  Air pop?  Bubble pop?

But Pelts are famous for them.  Air bubbles just below the surface and the thin glass breaks.  Your example is bigger than usual. 

[Vancecrash]

Gotcha, thank you again, for the continued education

[Chuck G]

Vance, kinda looks pelt to me also. Peltier was super notoriously for having some very wild cut or seams to their examples. (ALL) marbles have (TWO) cut lines, however i have found (what looks) like three cut lines. One MUST analyze the (glass flow) and study it more. Glass flow, cut lines, and color formulas is very important to understanding who actually made the example. From one marble maker to the other, glass formulas and machines could produce something pretty wild, and yes wild and different is out there. Get it in your mind to analyze all this and the more marbles you get thru those fingers the more you will see and get a huge grasp of things. In all my years of this hobby, could not even guess HOW MANY examples i have had go thru these hands.  Chuck G--

[Vancecrash]

Thank you Chuck G. I appreciate the encouragement. I have about 2500 marbles I am pressing through, most of these being cats eyes, and many of the others seeming to be Pelts so far. So far I am guessing I have positively identified 10 (with greatly appreciated support from you folks here), and another twenty that I have identified with the knowledge I have gained from you folks here.

I have to admit, I initially had intended to buy them and turn them over quickly, but then when I ran my hands through the pile of the treasures they worked thier magic on me, and I caught the collecting bug.

I of course will still sell (and gift) the vast majority of these, but more with the thought of keeping the marbles that I love, and funding more collecting adventures.

Thank you all, again. I love this place. You are all incredibly gracious, informative, and fun!

Vance Crash

[Al Oregon]

Blowhole or blowout are other terms that I have heard for the pops.

[wvrons]

Blow holes are seen probably in more Peltier marbles than any other machine mades.  Like Steph said the holes are from thin glass with a gas pocket under it. The glass tank or furnace has to be vented proper to remove the gas or air from the cooking glass.  If not vented correct is one thing that can cause the glass to be seedy or have bubbles. Some bubbles can be small or some can be larger. The larger ones are more likely to pop or blow out. All companies had some of this. Marbles with these gas pockets can pop or explode shortly after being made or 50 years later. I have had marbles break apart into 4 pieces or 14 pieces setting undisturbed with no changes in my display cases. Not often but it can and does happen. I was at Mid Atlantic of WV watching them make glass. They had a 20 ton tank full of crystal glass. They could not get the bubbles out after days of trying things. Their crystal had to be 100% clear. They ladled out or emptied the tank, which took several hours. They refilled it and started again. The same thing again, bubbles, and cannot get rid of them. Two days later a mechanic was on the roof doing checks. He found a drive belt broke on a tank exhaust vent fan. One of five vent fans. That was enough to cause the loss of 30-40 tons of glass, cost, and labor for days. Replaced the belt and all was back to normal. Very small things can happen that change marbles very much. With all the heat, moving equipment etc. problems happen often daily and many days the problems are hourly.  

[Steph]

I never knew that about ventilation problems giving seediness or gas pockets.  

[Royal3]

Ron you are a marvel, a walking encyclopedia of marble knowledge! That really helps bring home the relationship between air, good furnace management, and seedy glass. I tend to like such glass in some marbles - in old Germans and the odd machinemade it can add eye appeal - but it does carry a risk. 

[wvrons]

Thanks Royal .  Just what my eyes have seen. Lucky to be in a area rich with glass, marbles history, and lots of people with hands on glass experience. When most people hear WV they think coal. But for many long years 1920 - 1980's the glass industry employed probably as many or more as coal in WV. Every little town or large town had some type glass factory. They came here to WV from Europe to make glass. Pennsboro WV even has a area named Glass Factory Hollow. Ritchie County alone has had ten or more machine made marble producers. Why did so many marble companies base in WV. The worlds cheapest natural gas, correct sand to make glass, RR for shipping. But a big factor was all the very experienced glass workers in every town. Plus I have ask a lot of questions, why, for 25 years.  When someone said, just because it has always been that, or it is in a book. That was not enough for me. I went to or as close as possible to the original source and ask why and how. 

[Vancecrash]

Wow! Thank you! I love this place! This kind of information is exactly what I crave when I find new and interesting activities.