Newbie marble find: car boot sale UK. What have I got, please?

[Iain P]

Hi all,

I bought a box of items at a car boot sale yesterday (a bargain at £4 the lot)  for the vintage games and the playing cards. 

Only later did I open the metal tin to find the glass marbles, and as a complete newbie, I have no idea what kind they are.

The oldest set of playing cards dates from the 1890s, so it would be great if the marbles were as old as that, though the other set is c1930, as are the games.

Having spent a happy hour here on the forum, I can already feel the marble collecting bug coming on, so any information about these would be very welcome. 

I'm assuming the opaque black and red ones are quite ordinary - though I never saw marbles like this before:

but the blue looks a lot more interesting. 

The central dark piece in the blue one is a bit of an oddity too.  They measure around 5/8". 

Thanks, 

Iain 

 

 

[akroorka]

Welcome lain,
The blue one is a “Slag” in my opinion. 
The dark spot could be were the cut-off was melted back into the marble and if that is the case, it would be an older handmade slag.
The red and black were pressed in between two molds. They could be clay, a wood concoction, or other material; I do not think that they are glass. I suspect that they were to a game of some sort. Ballot marbles are usually black and white in my experience. They are old.

More opinions are more than welcomed and needed.

Once again welcome and continue to share what you may come across.
Marble—On!!
 

[Chad G.]

"Welcome to Marble Connection Lain"    

         I agree w/ Art on the transparent aqua colored one being a slag marble. As far as the others, definitely made in some kid of mold or pressed together, no idea what they are composed of and my guess would also be game pieces. Hang in there, someone more than likely will know what they are. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                           "Again Welcome"

[Iain P]

Thank you both for the welcome and the information! Yes, I'll be searching for marbles from now on. I'm hooked. 

[Iain P]

4 hours ago, akroorka said:

The red and black were pressed in between two molds. They could be clay, a wood concoction, or other material; I do not think that they are glass.

I kept tapping two red ones together, and they made the unmistakable sound of glass on glass.  The more I tapped, the more I was convinced.

To prove I was right,  I took a hammer to one (I'm sure that's frowned upon here, but there are more red than black so it didn't feel too bad) and here is the vindication. 

For you, not me, sadly 😉

. 

[Chad G.]

Looks like clay IMO, probably fired ?? The reason for the glass like sound when tapped together ??  I have seen them before but can't quite put my finger on what they belong to ??

[akroorka]

55 minutes ago, Chad G. said:

I have seen them before

They remind me of old pressed musket balls.

I am pretty sure that they were all lead though. Close in size I'll bet.

Great curiosity lain--wear safety glasses next time😁.

Marble--On!!

 

[Steph]

I think the blue one is a Japanese transitional.  Same as a slag, but special name for the Japanese handgathered ones. 

[Chad G.]

5 minutes ago, Steph said:

I think the blue one is a Japanese transitional.  Same as a slag, but special name for the Japanese handgathered ones. 

I think you're right Steph, I can see the cutoff near the black stain in the 8th pic

[Iain P]

6 hours ago, akroorka said:

They remind me of old pressed musket balls.

I am pretty sure that they were all lead though. Close in size I'll bet.

Great curiosity lain--wear safety glasses next time😁.

Marble--On!!

 

Good advice, and it's ironic that you mention musket balls: I put it on a brick on the lawn and when I hit it with the hammer the first time, it shot off across the garden and hit my wife in the foot as she was hanging out the washing. No harm done, and she's talking to me again.  

It must have travelled at least 10 feet, parallel to the ground, only 5 inches above the grass, quite an achievement...

[Iain P]

6 hours ago, Chad G. said:

I think you're right Steph, I can see the cutoff near the black stain in the 8th pic

How interesting. I'd assumed that was just damage.  So that's a Crease Pontil then? (Look at me; a newbie yesterday, but 24 hours later using all the terminology 😉

Does this help date the marble at all, or least set an earliest / latest date range? 

Iain 

[Steph]

I usually ballpark that style as being from the 1930's.  Could have been earlier though.  

[Iain P]

9 minutes ago, Steph said:

I usually ballpark that style as being from the 1930's.  Could have been earlier though.  

Thanks Steph, that nicely fits in with the date of most of the items in the job lot. 

[Mojo]

On 7/5/2022 at 3:54 AM, Steph said:

I think the blue one is a Japanese transitional.  Same as a slag, but special name for the Japanese handgathered ones. 

Agree with Steph , jap transitional on the blue one ✌