Peewee marbles.... For game use or just a cute little marble?

[Mikie_T]

I am curious what everyone thinks about the peewee marbles.

It seems there were smaller (peewee) marbles made in MOST materials....(i.e. glass, clay, crockery, etc)

I have found SEVERAL peewees this summer while hunting in the creeks.

I have a couple of peewee cat eyes, 1 Bennington peewee, SEVERAL clay peewees and one crockery peewee. That tells me they were made in most medias.

SO....

What are your thoughts about peewees....

Did they intend for peewees to be used as game marbles?

OR....

Were they just "cute" little marbles that were meant for collecting?

Give your ideas or maybe even historic findings of the peewee's use.

Have y'all got some pics of NICE PEEWEEs?

Show 'em if ya' got 'em.

Below...

The marbles in the dish are all clay.... they show a big variation in sizes. The smallest is 5/16" dia. The 2 outside the dish are 3/8" dia.

 

[crashbelt]

German pee wees were made extensively for UK game board manufacturers from I believe the 1850s right into the early 20th Century. I have many, probably original, sets including micas, swirls, onionskins and clays. That's just counting strictly half inch sized marbles. At 13-14mm size there are many more. Here's a nice example of a late Victorian FH Ayres complete games compendium with the small rectangular solitaire board and pee wee swirls.

I'm sure pee wees were also made for selling separately, but an enormous number must have been imported from Germany by Ayres, Spear, Jacques, Glevum (I have examples by all of these) and others for their boards.