National Marbles Or National Line, Which Came First?

[Steph]

Which boxes would be older, "National Line" or "National Marbles"?

These are both Peerless boxes so I thought they'd be interesting for comparison. The first is one Lizzy posted awhile back of someone's grandparents' mibs. It's the only "National Line" box I've been able to find in my saved photos, which seems really weird to me since the name is so famous. The second is from Norm's collection at Bonham's.

(Both say "National Toy Marbles" on one end. On the opposite end the National Line box says it was "Manufactured by M. Gropper & Sons, Inc., New York, N. Y., U. S. A." Don't know what's on the other end of the National Marbles box.)

[carole154]

I don't know. I think the Nationals are older than the National lines but I could be wrong.

carole

[CarlsMarblesBeadsEtc]

Hello Steph and Carole... Hope you Ladies are well..

Carl~~~

[Al Oregon]

Gropper also had National Prima, National Toy, National Rainbo and National Onyx boxes - all different styles of boxes using the name National.

[Steph]

Used pretty much concurrently? Or are there some vague age demarcations? or is there little-to-no info on which boxes came first, middlin' and last?

Of course what I've been most curious about for the longest time is that nebulous area "between" NLR's and Rainbos. If some boxes were definitely pre-1930, and some were definitely post-1935 and some likely post-1940, or post WWII ... for example ... that could help some other jigsaw pieces fall into place.

... that's my hope ....

It's more of a curiosity to me now than it used to be. It used to seem vital. I used to "need" to understand when and where and how "tweeners" happened. Now, I'm beginning to get why some don't care. It's either got the NLR look or it doesn't. If it doesn't, it can still be pretty, but quit trying to force things into the NLR box. I get that now. But I'm still _interested_. :-)

[Steph]

Here's a pic I've been waiting to add to the thread for current or future consideration. Waiting until the auction listing was over ... it was a 10-day auction. lol

From the seller's description:

Box is 7-5/8" X 3- 1/2". Box has what looks like water stains on red cover, it has roughness on corners and edges, also a tear on one side of box. Top----NATIONAL RAINBO MARBLES. end----MANUFACTURED BY THE PELTIER GLASS CO., OTTAWA, ILL. Other end-----NO. 220 MADE IN U.S.A.

I'm too tired right now to think about what all it might mean, but I think it's a clue!

[Steph]

Another clue maybe.

This is from the 1933 ad Galen posted. A No. 5 box saying National Rainbo Marbles.