“Moving On”[1]
We moved house while we were writing our story about Canadian marbles (https://thesecretlifeofmarbles.com/the-history-of-marbles-in-canada/) and we could not locate these Halifax marbles in our collection. We wanted them for our Canada story. Well, we are in our new home, we have located them, and we decided to share this photograph and short story. The big question remains unanswered for us. Did any glass houses in Canada ever make glass marbles? We still don’t know that answer.
Halifax
Halifax, established in 1749, is the largest city in and Capital of the Province of Nova Scotia and also the largest municipality in Atlantic or Eastern Canada. In 2022 it boasted a population of about 500,000. It is a maritime city and it has a rich military history. Today, a hot spot is the bustling Waterfront “with one of the world’s longest urban boardwalks spanning the length of the waterfront – 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from Pier 21 at the Halifax Seaport to Casino Nova Scotia….”[2]
The Hiding Place
We had a colleague and friend when we worked in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, who grew up in Halifax. He told us that when he was a child he played marbles and that he had a secret hiding place for his marbles and other treasures. His home had a staircase with closed or solid risers. Our friend could open the tread on the third step (we don’t know if it was third from top or bottom). Since the risers were solid, each step formed a nice little box.
We have no idea why one tread could be lifted up and down. But this step gave our friend a wonderful secret chest to store his most treasured toys and other goodies.
We don’t know how many marbles he had, but he told us that when he left home for University he left all his childhood riches hidden in the step. He told us that when he went home again from the Emirates he would check and see if his secret had been discovered. He did, it had not been disturbed, and we were delighted that he sent us these three marbles from his childhood (ca. 1950s – early 1960s) .
We won’t attempt to identify the marbles other than to say two look like Cairo Novelty Company and all three may be. The important point for us is that these marbles from Halifax, Canada, were definitely made in the United States.
Still Searching
We are still searching for any evidence that glass marbles were made in any Province in Canada. We do know that Canada has a long history of glass works which date as far back as 1839.
Does anyone have any reliable information regarding glass marbles made in Canada? If you do then please press the Contact button and let us hear all about it!
- With apologies to Gregg Alexander, Scott Cain, Hank Snow, & Rascal Flats ↑
- @ https://www.novascotia.com/trip-ideas/stories/perfect-day-halifax-waterfront 3/7/2024 ↑
