Fire1981 Posted January 11, 2022 Report Share Posted January 11, 2022 Do you think or do you know if marbles were sold out of gumball machines. I think it would be a cool thing to do at a marble show if it would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted January 11, 2022 Report Share Posted January 11, 2022 I'm pretty sure I've seen some vintage gumball-style marble machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire1981 Posted January 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2022 I always watch American Pickers. Every now and they'll find one. I know Frank is gone but it my understanding he has an INSANE marble collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvrons Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Not many but some gum ball machines did actually sell and dispense marbles. Years ago I was spending a Sunday afternoon with Mary Jane Wilson. A widow and the last owner of Playright Marbles. Her brother stopped by and of course we talked marbles. Both are deceased now. She ask her brother if he remembered what they did on Saturdays, when they were young. He said, sure and that he hated Saturdays. They would get up before daylight, pack cases of marbles in the car. Then start the day. The had a route of several rural country stores in three counties. They would stop at each store and have to refill the gumball machines with their company marbles. For one penny and one turn you got a marble. This was in the 1940's. Some oak machines that I had special painting done and fired on the glass. Three sides have pictures of the Alley marble factory sites. Plus others. All in working order. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire1981 Posted January 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Boo Yah ! Ron to are amazing! If anyone knew It would be you 🙏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire1981 Posted January 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 You are amazing not to are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 16, 2022 Report Share Posted January 16, 2022 I have ads for marble vending machines. A couple were from before WWII. But most are from during WWII and a lilttle after, when there was a shortage of the materials to make gumballs. Gumball machine manufacturers still needed customers so they promoted marble sales to keep those machines in business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 16, 2022 Report Share Posted January 16, 2022 I'm seeing 1929 as the date for the marble vending machine(s) I saw which were actually marked as selling marbles. The ads I saw for the WWII war years were for machines which could be used for either gumballs or marbles and didn't specify marbles on the machine. Soirry, no pix. I tried but the pix disappeared from the old thread I consulted, so I would have to do some digging. And what I'm supposed to be digging for is my address book. Grrrrrr. Just checking in. Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 16, 2022 Report Share Posted January 16, 2022 Spoke too soon. One pic remained in one of the old threads. Here's a 1929 machine. Later! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted January 17, 2022 Report Share Posted January 17, 2022 9 hours ago, Steph said: Spoke too soon. One pic remained in one of the old threads. Here's a 1929 machine. Later! Great addition, Steph! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nantucketdink Posted January 17, 2022 Report Share Posted January 17, 2022 Our local toy store sold marbles out of gum ball machines up until they closed a year ago. 1” shooters were 50 cents, 5/8” were a quarter, and peewees were a dime. It was really fun to say the least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire1981 Posted January 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2022 Maybe it will show up somewhere else. 🙏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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