hdesousa Posted February 25, 2023 Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 Mick Turton posted these marbles on a facebook antique marbles group earlier today. I'm posting the picture here with his permission, in the hope of getting him some good, verifiable information. Mick has been 'putting away' marbles in his antiques business for over 30 years but has no clue of what he's accumulated. Some of these marbles are interesting enough to discuss here, without risking anyone deleting posts with key references to the source of information. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdesousa Posted February 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 One of the most interesting marbles here is the one on the far left. A variegated clay marble - possibly a precursor to what we call "line crockery" or jasper - that is probably more accurately described as agateware. Here's how agateware is made - in this case for a tea pot, but you can imagine marbles being formed from the layers of colored clay. Start at about 3 minutes: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdesousa Posted February 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 The "spotted dick" marbles have been discussed here, over 12 years ago. Unfortunately, many of the links no longer work: I've picked them up as surface finds at a razed ceramic marble factory in Thuringia, Germany but have seen large groups come out of England, and was told they were also manufactured there. There are at least two ways the spots were applied - with a paintbrush and also with small lumps of black clay pressed into the surface of the marble before the body dried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted February 25, 2023 Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 Nice video. I do like variegated clays and Spotted Dicks are interesting too but I'm honing in on what appears to be the brown salt glazed one top center - it's a nice looking example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akroorka Posted February 25, 2023 Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 "Spotted Dicks"--six of them. The metallic one next to the upper left Bennington has me puzzled??? That video is very nice!! Marble—On!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdesousa Posted February 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 7 minutes ago, Ric said: Nice video. I do like variegated clays and Spotted Dicks are interesting too but I'm honing in on what appears to be the brown salt glazed one top center - it's a nice looking example. Yes, that is an intriguing marble. I asked for more pics and will post them below. He's got several of them. Might just be surface dirt that makes them look special. I'll request more pics after a soapy bubble bath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdesousa Posted February 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2023 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted February 26, 2023 Report Share Posted February 26, 2023 18 minutes ago, akroorka said: ...The metallic one next to the upper left Bennington has me puzzled???... The metallic look is likely foil that has rubbed off over time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted February 26, 2023 Report Share Posted February 26, 2023 13 minutes ago, I'llhavethat1 said: The metallic look is likely foil that has rubbed off over time Based on the recent photos, I think you're probably right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted February 26, 2023 Report Share Posted February 26, 2023 It might be interesting to see what this one looks like after a bath . . . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdesousa Posted February 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2023 13 hours ago, I'llhavethat1 said: The metallic look is likely foil that has rubbed off over time You nailed it. Here's what it looks like after a bath: 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankgrrl29 Posted February 26, 2023 Report Share Posted February 26, 2023 just mentioning these on the off-chance the metallic looking marbles could have come from one of these old Mosaic games. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-marble-mosaic-game-metal-476156717 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff54 Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 There's like, zillions of what they typically call 'Foil clay' marbles in Germany, France and England. I have a 100 or so, a few different than others. However, never actually collected them as they are like free junk inside purchases of miscellaneous group marble sales in Ebay from these countries. I guess one could try collecting different styles or variation, big and small as I recall, can get up to an inch or so, but I've never seen anybody do it. Not that I look for them but come up often enough so, I mean, I've never seen a collection of the different types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 They would probably wear quick with the rest of those old clays. Like carrying them around in a bag of gravel, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romanoak Posted March 1, 2023 Report Share Posted March 1, 2023 I really like the "agateware" I have found examples from 5/8" to carpet bowls 3-1/4" most are 2 color but have some 4 color. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted March 1, 2023 Report Share Posted March 1, 2023 1 hour ago, romanoak said: I really like the "agateware" I have found examples from 5/8" to carpet bowls 3-1/4" most are 2 color but have some 4 color. Those are great variegated examples - excellent colors, but I'll take the coils please. 🙂 Super nice case, Bill, every one of them - thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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