Odd sized “Akro Box”--Check it out

[akroorka]

I have exhausted my resources researching this one. Help me out if you can.

The size is 3- 3/8” x 5-3/8”, measured on the top of the box.

I purchased this box empty. I was intrigued by the marble “bruises” on the bottom of the box more than the stamp on the top. I originally thought this to be a “jobber” box with a fake stamp. I am not so sure now. The box is vintage, no doubt in my mind. The “bruises” show a very tight fit. The stamp is a stamp and not any new technology.

What gets me is the “bruises” because they look like they were intermittently packed or offset, marble to space, marble to space, etc, and not in neat set rows of eight. More like eight then seven then eight then seven then eight etc. This leads me to believe that any dividers were lengthwise and not crosswise.

The box will hold 40- 5/8” marbles as shown with 40 5/8” marbles that I backfilled for experimentation. They will fit only with vintage dividers without bulging the box sides. If the original marbles were smaller, say 9/16”, the bruises would have shown a more recognizable linear bruise in my opinion.

I tried variations of different sizes which would not fit. The top shows no “bruises” which an 11/16” marble would have shown because they are above the top ridge of the bottom box. Two rows of 11/16” will not fit in the box with three rows of 5/8”, with dividers or with none at all.

Please ask any and all questions, any advice positive or negative is welcomed.

I love this stuff!!!

Marble—on!!

[Ric]

It's intriquing . . . If it was a factory box, I would expect to see the company name & address on it, somewhere, either on the top or side of the lid, or at least "made in the USA" along with the logo stamp. It also seems a bit too fancy for a stock box and not quite fancy enough for a gift box so . . . ?

Having said this, it's important to realize that I am near clueless about Akro boxes.

[Steph]

Akro made quality boxes with quality graphics.

 

Calling "fake" on this one. 

 

 

[akroorka]

Thanks Steph,

I will stay on the fence with this one after I louped it at X64--yes my eyes hurt. I could see the hairs/threads of the paper.

Some of the stains are over the top of the stamped ink. Hard to fake this IMHO. This box has some age to it that could not be faked or would not have been faked due to it's age. I wish that I could see another in my lifetime. I will mark it as questionable for those that handle my estate based on your most excellant opinion and my doubts as well.

As always, Thanks and Marble--On!!!

[Ric]

Just another comment, FWIW. If you look at the text-setting (alignment, spacing, etc.), especially on the word "STRAIGHT", it's pretty much a mess compared to other examples of this logo I have seen on Akro boxes (e.g., the "R" looks about to fall on its face) - again, not the sort of quality I would expect from Akro.

[akroorka]

Thanks Ric,

Keep your eyes peeled for another box or item stamped with this stamp. One may show up and I doubt that it was only used once. It is tiny at 1-3/8" and probably made by someone involved in the stamping hobby craze that many folks enjoy.

I did look at a bunch of Akro stock boxes as research and found that not all stamps were used or made alike. I do not know if Akro used "rubber stamps" but this one looks like a rubber stamp was used.

Marble--On!!!

[Steph]

I'm not sure why I didn't do this search earlier.  I certainly thought of the seller's name.  But I've done the search now.   Here's an example of a scammer who used stamps and caused quite a furore.  It was actually a family of scammers from both coasts. Fake boxes (including supposed Akro and Christensen packaging) came from the East Coast.  A fake Eagle Bennington and other fake Benningtons came from the West Coast.   And the sellers vouched for each other, without telling of the family connection of course.  They took their show to the different forums to try to build up some backstory for their fake goods.  Like, "Look what I found at a flea market -- what can you tell me about it?"  Then the person from the opposite coast would say he found something similar on his side of the country.  Stuff like that.  Took some digging to bring the whole picture to light.  

https://marbleconnection.com/topic/12999-akro-box-izzit-for-real/

Stamp looks different on yours on this particular box.  I could probably dig up more examples of that guy's work to see if any of his boxes were a closer match.  But stamps just raise red flags for me.  Akro started out as jobbers, not makers, as of course you know.  I'm just observing that from the beginning they were very attentive to professional presentation.  

 

I am given to understand that Craig Snider is now the person to go to if you want a definitive answer on Akro boxes.   If he has weighed in on some other venue, I would go with whatever he said.  
 

[Ric]

8 minutes ago, Steph said:

I'm not sure why I didn't do this search earlier. 

Leave it to Steph - I so remember this now that you bring it up!

[Steph]

Here are some presumably legit boxes with graphics which have more of a stamped look to them.      I have that "Brian" posted these. I shared them in one of the threads about that hoaxer Pavcraz   So, I'm thinking Brian would be Brian Graham.  





This is the picture from an auction which prompted the discussion.    I think these are legit.      Is this rubber stamp or not?   I have to guess not, but still a little sloppy looking, eh?






Here was the Pavcraz fake which made people so suspicious of the boxes above.  He was a one-man wrecking crew to faith in Akro boxes.  

[Ric]

13 minutes ago, Steph said:

. . . Craig Snider is now the person to go to if you want a definitive answer on Akro boxes.

He's the guy I got that nice Norland box from!

[akroorka]

I think that they are legit. The Pavcraz is not even close, but the rarity of these boxes camoflaged that.

The reason for the logos being off kilter is probably because the paper with the ("silkscreened?") logo was applied to the box with the logo on the paper. The dimensions between the logo and the company name are probably all right on.

Marble--On!!

[akroorka]

53 minutes ago, Steph said:

I'm not sure why I didn't do this search earlier.  I certainly thought of the seller's name.  But I've done the search now.   Here's an example of a scammer who used stamps and caused quite a furore.  It was actually a family of scammers from both coasts. Fake boxes (including supposed Akro and Christensen packaging) came from the East Coast.  A fake Eagle Bennington and other fake Benningtons came from the West Coast.   And the sellers vouched for each other, without telling of the family connection of course.  They took their show to the different forums to try to build up some backstory for their fake goods.  Like, "Look what I found at a flea market -- what can you tell me about it?"  Then the person from the opposite coast would say he found something similar on his side of the country.  Stuff like that.  Took some digging to bring the whole picture to light.  

https://marbleconnection.com/topic/12999-akro-box-izzit-for-real/

Stamp looks different on yours on this particular box.  I could probably dig up more examples of that guy's work to see if any of his boxes were a closer match.  But stamps just raise red flags for me.  Akro started out as jobbers, not makers, as of course you know.  I'm just observing that from the beginning they were very attentive to professional presentation.  

 

I am given to understand that Craig Snider is now the person to go to if you want a definitive answer on Akro boxes.   If he has weighed in on some other venue, I would go with whatever he said.  
 

Great work Steph,

Consider my box out of circulation. If I find more, I will take them out of circulation as well.

Fakes abound in all areas of collecting and a thread like this will make someone look twice at least.

I buy weird/odd things all of the time just to see what they are all about, marbles included. I love doing research and you took it further than I did and I applaud you for it.

The fact remains that the box is of vintage manufacture, it holds 40 5/8” marbles perfectly and it held something round of that size for quite awhile before being sold empty.

The stamp may be a fake, as we all suspect but the box it-self still has me by the ears.

I have wondered if Master Glass could have done something like this after they owned Akro but shot that down because the box looks earlier.

Marble—On!!