Ric Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 These are often referred to as Birds in Fire Tree marbles. They are thought to date to the 1930s. You can find the same motif in aquarium pieces or paperweights from the period. You can find a little info about them in this newsletter from the Marble Collectors Society of America. Has anyone ever seen a pontil on one of these marbles? I am pretty sure mine has been polished and I wonder if examples of these "marbles" were actually produced or if they were really ground from other objects. What do you think? Does anyone have other examples to share? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvrons Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 None here. These are first I have seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Thanks, Ron. Is there a badge for "Total Topic Fail"?😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berryb Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Don't take it personally. If I did, every time I killed a thread with a comment, or started a thread that was only responded to by "crickets" I'd be suicidal by now. Thanks Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Thanks for the consolation, Bruce - even the Babe struck out once in a while! The guy I called Grandpa is on the right (Al DeVormer). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berryb Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Cool Photo; Betcha wish you had that sweater. Thanks Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 God's honest truth, Bruce - I had my Gramp's catcher's mitt, signed by the Babe - Mom sold it at a garage sale! Do you know me? Yeah, I would love that sweater! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berryb Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Ouch that one hurts. Baseball cards, comic books, marbles. I suppose a good predicter of what tomorrow's collectable will be is what moms are getting rid of today. Thanks Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 46 minutes ago, Berryb said: Ouch that one hurts. Baseball cards, comic books, marbles. I suppose a good predicter of what tomorrow's collectable will be is what moms are getting rid of today. Thanks Bruce Moms, ya' gotta love 'em. ❤️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 5 hours ago, Ric said: Thanks for the consolation, Bruce - even the Babe struck out once in a while! The guy I called Grandpa is on the right (Al DeVormer). I think Gramps looks like he should be wearing a cape. lol And thanks for helping me salvage a little something out of this thread, Bruce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 Cool about your Grandpa. With regards to the marbles, I've seen pictures before but never had one/held one personally. I recall somebody posted one a while back and trying to recall if he said it was polymer (rather than glass) or if he used a polymer on the surface to freshen things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 1 hour ago, I'llhavethat1 said: With regards to the marbles . . . Thanks for the response! I can guarantee the one I am showing is glass. A new photo would show a giant fracture in it thanks to a dusting incident that happened several years ago - I'm almost over it. 😭 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 If it's glass, the "sulfide" detail would seem absurdly large (close to the edge) to insert into that size sphere. My guess is it would have been ground down, as I suspect the paperweight would also have required. Take it with a grain of salt, never made one myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted August 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 That is exactly what I was thinking. 1 minute ago, I'llhavethat1 said: If it's glass, the "sulfide" detail would seem absurdly large (close to the edge) to insert into that size sphere. My guess is it would have been ground down . . . My thoughts exactly. It would be really nice to see one of these with a pontil. Until then, I am going to assume they don't exist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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