Anatomy Of An Oxblood

[Alan]

It seems that the subject of oxblood and how it covers, swirls or mixes with a marble's base glass comes up in threads with some regularity. I came across a batch of Akro milky oxbloods I acquired many years ago. In the group was a "throw away" that got tossed in - with a heavy fracture through it. I popped it in half by hand and the resulting photos of the outside versus the inside speaks volumes about oxblood density and how it tends to move and spread to the surface. I thought I would share this since most of us won't encounter broken oxblood marbles.

The outside:

and the inside...

[Steph]

Definitely something special going on with that glass. Is there any hint at all of bleeding/blending?

[Alan]

Definitely something special going on with that glass. Is there any hint at all of bleeding/blending?

None. The two glasses have different densities and clearly the oxblood moves to the surface - which IMO suggest a higher density. I think the internal limited oxblood is pretty common with the exception of some of the clear oxblood "experimentals" that were dug at the factory. Those exhibit a good internal mix of oxblood - which make them fairly dark.

[MrsMopar]

You've always got such great info Alan. Thank you for sharing this, it's nifty to see it this way.

:-) Felicia

[zaboo]

where's my hammer??????????????????????

[hrjane]

Both sad and good to see. Thanks for sharing.

Here's my oxblood marble (brick) I took a hammer to - kidding! It came to me this way. For the newbies, this would have been gathered and turned (layered) when hot so the oxblood is all the way through (9 with tail construction).

[lstmmrbls]

Or, being expensive was the Oxblood mixed, layered, applied, to the base glass in such a way that a minimum ammount was needed for maximum exposure. This is easier for me to imagine than the glass floating to the surface of a marble. The glass came in a stream and I picture the Oxblood glass layered on top of the base in the pot. Sort of (but differently)how the glass is layered to make horizontals. Just my way of thinking. Peace,Galen