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Vitro Fisher Jewel Trays only $0.19 cents in 1936


bumblebee

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 The history I have on these is. Vitro owner Fisher was a engineer and liked to design new items. The different lamps with marbles, jewel trays, jewelry, etc. that included his Vitro marbles. He was single and eat almost every day at local restaurants. He never left cash as a tip for the waitress. Instead he left a item that he had made which had Vitro marbles. It started with him leaving jewelry with marbles in it. Then he designed the tray with marbles to hold the ladies jewelry. So they were named jewel trays. People in the restaurants used them for ash trays.  They produce more for sales then they were sold and used as ash trays. When Fisher came into a restaurant the waitress's would flock to get him at their table, for the tip. Years ago I purchased some jewelry that a waitress had received from Fisher. Fisher designed and made 35 lamps with 7/8 marbles, in 1935. Vitro then had 35 employee's, he gave one of those lamps to each employee for Christmas in 1935. These lamps are a prized collectable in a serious Vitro collection. I know of about 13-14 being found so far.

 Because Fisher liked designing and making items for his marbles. Plant manager Blaine Lemon was fired because of this. Fisher like to come to the factory during the weekends to design and make items for his marbles. He would almost always leave the place in a mess after he was done. But he was the owner. Blaine Lemon was very particular about the housekeeping in the factory. Fisher had been there the weekend and left a big mess. Blaine Lemon complained loud to everyone, including Fisher, about the mess and complaining how much time and people is was going to require to clean things up. So Fisher fired Blaine Lemon and made Louie Moore plant manager.  Louie was plant manager until Vitro at Parkersburg closed.

Some of the info above came from employee's, a waitress, Blaine Lemon, and Louie Moore.  Which all have passed on. But not forgotten. Blaine was a pleasure to sit with drinking coffee and talking his Vitro days. His favorite marble was the Parrott. He always had them in his bib overall pockets. Every time that I ever saw him he had his Parrott's.  My questions for him now would be many more and more in depth than before.    

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Marbles as insulators? That might be new info for me .... 

Neat article.  I smiled when I saw how Art Fisher had designed marble rollers.  It's funny how many people took or were given credit for inventing key elements of the marble making process.  Pretty sure Berry Pink also took or was given that credit.  Akro too.  

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On 1/16/2019 at 10:42 AM, bumblebee said:

That's priceless info, Ron. Thanks for sharing.

I wish we had second chances to interview the old timers. We so often take them for granted not realizing how many answers they have to questions we failed to ask when they were still with us.

ditto

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According to google .19 cents in todays money is 3.36....if only..unrelated  if you follow moneys value. It appears that from early 1900s to 1980 it remained fairly stable with slight inflation increase overtime. From 1980 on the rate of inflation took off and money devalued.

Cool pics Al. Sensory overload how beautiful and vast.

My 2 i use as marble trays;

 

20190121_102208_crop_1073x573.jpg

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