Marble Clubs

[AvvaRae]

Is anyone here apart of the WV Marble Club? Or any marble Club? 

I'm looking to see what to expect. I'm hoping to just meet fun people who love the same thing and gain further knowledge. I know WV is only WV made marbles, so I'm curious if there are any others out there not listed for say OHIO PA etc 

🙃😉

[Alan]

Opinion (and no slight to any surviving marble clubs):

I think marble clubs waned ~2 decades ago.  If you are in OH/PA - you are not far from big Ohio and WV marble shows.  As a veteran of marble shows for a long time, I think you can learn more, see more, meet far, far more knowledgeable people, handle more marbles and learn the glass faster than any three clubs could ever offer. A day of hands-on experience at a big show is worth 100 times more than a years worth of experience at a marble club.  The diversity of material, condition and knowledge is incredible as you visit the rooms. 

Footnote:  The days (and nights) BEFORE the show is where you really learn.  Not the day of the show.

[AvvaRae]

16 minutes ago, Alan said:

Opinion (and no slight to any surviving marble clubs):

I think marble clubs waned ~2 decades ago.  If you are in OH/PA - you are not far from big Ohio and WV marble shows.  As a veteran of marble shows for a long time, I think you can learn more, see more, meet far, far more knowledgeable people, handle more marbles and learn the glass faster than any three clubs could ever offer. A day of hands-on experience at a big show is worth 100 times more than a years worth of experience at a marble club.  The diversity of material, condition and knowledge is incredible and you visit the rooms.  \

Footnote:  The days (and nights) BEFORE the show is where you really learn.  Not the day of the show.

☺️Thank you so much for this advice, you definitely sound like a veteran at this. I will for sure take your advice and start looking🔍👀 for marble shows  😎

[Al Oregon]

WVMCC is not just about WV swirls but all marble collecting.  Sure, they are in WV and the shows are there but they encompass all marbles.  They have a newsletter (maybe 3-4 times per year).  Their dues are reasonable and it is a way of continuing and preserving marble collecting.  The Texas Marble Club is active and they have a couple shows per year as well as a newsletter.  The Indiana Club is active with a couple shows.  IAMC is on the West coast with a couple shows per year (one coming up in Reno in October).  And, as Alan mentioned, the 2-3 days before the show day is the best time to come and learn, meet other collectors, visit, buy, sell and trade.  It is a great time to see all kinds of marbles and get helping in ID'ing some of the ?'s marbles that you have.

[AvvaRae]

44 minutes ago, Al Oregon said:

WVMCC is not just about WV swirls but all marble collecting.  Sure, they are in WV and the shows are there but they encompass all marbles.  They have a newsletter (maybe 3-4 times per year).  Their dues are reasonable and it is a way of continuing and preserving marble collecting.  The Texas Marble Club is active and they have a couple shows per year as well as a newsletter.  The Indiana Club is active with a couple shows.  IAMC is on the West coast with a couple shows per year (one coming up in Reno in October).  And, as Alan mentioned, the 2-3 days before the show day is the best time to come and learn, meet other collectors, visit, buy, sell and trade.  It is a great time to see all kinds of marbles and get helping in ID'ing some of the ?'s marbles that you have.

I must have read that wrong. Thank you for the correction. 

I definitely think I am going to be looking into shows and some traveling. I will keep WV Club in mind they are only about 2.5 hours away from me. Thank you Al for the extra information ☺️