Can hand made marbles be hot glued without damaging them?

[water_woman]

These marbles were found in our family's ancestral farm house (it dates back to 1804 and was built by a Revolutionary War veteran). I'd like to mount them in shadowbox frames for my cousins and myself, as keepsakes (because otherwise, they're just sitting in an old pouch in an old box).  I would hate to do anything that would damage them, and was wondering if anyone knows if using hot glue would be ok?

I suppose I should try to identify them and attach value to them, but that's a secondary concern.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Steph]

Hi.  Welcome.  I think it would be a nice idea.  I don't think hot glue would damage this particular version of ceramic marbles.  And they're not particularly valuable so you don't need to worry about that.  Capturing the sentiment and charm in shadow boxes would be lovely. 

[water_woman]

Thank you, Steph!

[bumblebee]

These old styles look good grouped together in an antique bowl or crock.

One of the joys of old marbles is being able to handle them and hear them click together, or even play with them, so I personally wouldn't glue them to anything.

As Steph said, these aren't particular valuable in the raw but given the sentimental and real historical association of them with your people and that property, they're pretty invaluable.

[water_woman]

Thanks, Bumblebee!  So funny...I've been handling them gingerly since someone wrote 'Handmade Marbles - Not For Playing!" on the box. After running my fingers through them just now, I see you're right about the feel and sound!

[duotone]

A Riker case could be a good way to display them without glue. As long as they're a similar size, they can fill up a case and the glass cover holds everything in place. I've been experimenting with folded card dividers, but they look great in a jumble too. 

[Royal3]

Just a suggestion - there are less permanent and disfiguring alternatives, and I’d be careful with those fancy Benningtons (but I’m partial to those, I suppose.) https://stickyaide.com/museum-putty-vs-museum-wax/