Sorting advice?

[Valliwares]

I am trying to sort out my marbles into smaller groups for eventual identification purposes.
After sitting down to get to it I am feeling overwhelmed by the variations in my swirl collection. The colour and swirl pattern variations leave me with too many options!

How do you sort your unidentified marbles? Any sub categories, sorting tips, storage hacks, classification info.

im just looking to break it into manageable groups that ideally make sense together for ease of identification, but every time I start I end up second guessing all my groupings!

thanks in advance 🤗
 

[Fuzzy Chubbs]

As a novice who’s only been sorting for less than 6 months, here’s my process:

1. Sort by color AND pattern (pattern is most important)
2. Look at all of your marbles up close, in comparison to each other
3. Research, research, RESEARCH 
4. Look at your marbles some more
5. Research some more
6. Eventually you’ll start to recognize marbles you’ve sorted
7. Sort marbles of different colors but similar patterns together
8. Post some tasty pics of marbles you think you’ve identified 
9. Sit and wait for experts advice
10. Look at more marbles while you wait 

I imagine someone’s going to step in and suggest not sorting by color, as it’s most important to identify the manufacturer; and most colors were used throughout the industry by multiple companies.  But personally, separating by color helped me feel less overwhelmed from the start and I’ve been separating by manufacturer/pattern since. I imagine that I’ll eventually lose that habit of initially sorting based on color.

Don’t expect it to come quickly or easily, you’re seeing hundreds (thousands? probably!) of years of cumulative knowledge on these forums!!

 

[Valliwares]

Just now, Fuzzy Chubbs said:

Don’t expect it to come quickly or easily, you’re seeing hundreds (thousands? probably!) of years of cumulative knowledge on these forums!!

 

Thank you so much!

I was just expressing as much to my partner as I bagged them up. I grabbed one and excitedly exclaimed “look! It’s a tapeworm ribbon!” 
 

I have heard the description many times in videos and seen the examples but until holding one next to a normal ribboned slag it was really apparent.

In my idealistic dream world there would be entire videos dedicated to one specific marbles and nothing but close ups of all the different angles and lighting possibilities, and discussion of its unique properties.
 

Perhaps if I continue to research 30 years from now I will almost know enough to film my own.

the collective knowledge on here is truly awe inspiring and fantastic. I am immensely grateful whenever  someone takes the time to reply and share a piece of what they know.

This forum is by and large my favourite place to ask questions and read posts.

Have a great day, thanks again for your advice and MARBLE ON! 🤩

[Fuzzy Chubbs]

35 minutes ago, Valliwares said:

In my idealistic dream world there would be entire videos dedicated to one specific marbles and nothing but close ups of all the different angles and lighting possibilities, and discussion of its unique properties.

Make sure to check out Stephen Bahr on YouTube! https://youtube.com/c/StephenBahr
 

Hands down the best marble videos on the internet, IMO.

I had a related thought the other day; how long until we see marble sorting popularized in Twitch streams? I feel it’s only a matter of time, as the younger generation picks up the hobby. If I wasn’t as busy (and more confident) I’d give it a whack. 

[Tommy]

What I have learned is that ...

First you sort  then then you then  then after that then some more...that's how I do it....😜

[akroorka]

I am right there with Tommy---good one!

Marble--On!!