Back in the early 70s, my elementary school used to hold an annual Marble Tournament. I never participated in it, but I did play with friends at recess. I never liked to play for keepsies because I didn't want to lose any of my small bag of them. When I made my First Holy Communion, my aunt & uncle in New York gave me a rather large collection of marbles as a gift. Although I didn't really pursue collecting them till I was an adult, I hung onto those marbles and never, ever used them to play.
I have a very modest collection now, including this awesome solitaire game I scored up in Port Angeles, WA on the way to Victoria.
A maple syrup jar full of pee wees.
I have quite a few jars, glasses and vases with these more common machine mades from the 50s to the 70s.
Sulphides are among the most expensive of the antiques. I own four of them. This one is the best of the four and cost me about $250 off ebay.
Antique onion skin
Smaller German swirls and onionskins
Contemporary art marbles are also among my faves.
Several years ago I scored a very large and amazing collection of marbles off ebay for cheap on Christmas Day. It included some of these unusual pieces.
More antique onionskins and German swirls.
I made those 6 marbles on the clam shell (the flat one is half of an amber sulphide I got off ebay) in a class at The Bead Factory in Tacoma. Mine don't really roll, so much as wobble.
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If anyone out there has a collection of marbles they don't want anymore, I'd be more than happy to take them off your hands! ;-)
I used to have a small collection; I wonder where it went? If I ever come across any, I know who to send them to.
ReplyDeleteAwesome marbles JoJo!
I have to say, JoJo, you have the best memory in all the land. "Play for keepsies." Wow. I haven't heard that since I was tiny. I forgot all about it. I LOVE that Coke marble!!! I'd play for keepsies for that LOL
ReplyDeleteMaureen - Yes I'm happy to take any marble, no matter how new or old.
ReplyDeleteElsie - And that's why I don't play for keepsies!!!!! lol
They remind me of paperweights. Some of those can be very valuable.
ReplyDeleteHubs has a marble collection from the forties and fifties gathered from various antique stores over the years. I like them for their colour impact, but prefer the transparent ones.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed you can make marbles! Nice collection you have there. I love all the brightly colored swirled ones--I did not know they were called onion skins.
ReplyDeleteThe first picture has got to be my favorite!!!
ReplyDelete~Sha'
http://stfu4abetterrelationship.wordpress.com/
We never played marbles, we played Jacks. Love your collection. I'm fascinated by the onion skin ones.
ReplyDeleteNot that familiar with YA, I write sci-fi...but happy blog blitz to you!
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
Oh JoJo I love your collection! I love marbles too and have only one small bowl that used to be my mother's. Have to say that I never saw onionskin marbles till your post...they are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOh wow. I never knew marbles could get so large. LOL Or that there were so many different types.
ReplyDeleteSonia Lal
My Mum loves marbles - I'll have to check and see if she has anything special now! :D
ReplyDeleteThose are very cool. It's an impressive collection. They are like small pieces of art. My favorite is the contemporary art marble.
ReplyDeleteWow... That is a great collection...
ReplyDeleteWow! That is an amazing collection! We have a few marbles once, but not any more.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. They truly are like little pieces of glass art. I'm always on the lookout for jars of them for sale at antique stores and junk shops.
ReplyDeleteWOW, your marbles are awesome. You have quite the collection.
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
Wow you have a lot of marbles. What an amazing collection. I never knew that their were so many different types of marbles, they are very cool.
ReplyDeleteValerie
Everyday Inspired
You are giving me a new appreciation for glass, that's for sure. Have you ever tried glass blowing?
ReplyDeleteWow, you sure have a lot of marbles! I love that one with the bows on it.
ReplyDelete