Etching “Marbles” by James McNeill Whistler[1] https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010648381/ Whistling In The Newspaper Morgue Files If you have read some of our stories then you know that we enjoy reading old newspapers at the the Library of Congress digital newspaper morgue (https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). The site … [Read more...] about Moth Marbles & Other Brevities
Archives
Ohajiki: “Looks Like Flat Marbles to Me!”
Photograph: Belongs to A.Davey, 1 September 1914, This file is licensed under the Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license[1]. We really like this photograph! Each girl is baby-sitting a child younger than her. Look at their “geta sandals”. These are designed to keep your feet dry and it looks like … [Read more...] about Ohajiki: “Looks Like Flat Marbles to Me!”
Manzanar: A Second Look at Camp Marbles[1]
In “Windswept”, which is the last section of our story Amache Marbles (https://thesecretlifeofmarbles.com/amache-marbles/) we noted that one man left two buckets of marbles in his camp when he was relocated with his parents at the end of World War II. Each person could carry only a small bag or two of the family’s possessions when … [Read more...] about Manzanar: A Second Look at Camp Marbles[1]
Lundberg Studios Marble
Earlier in September we visited the monthly estate sale at the Olde Mobile Antiques Gallery, LLC, in Mobile, Alabama. We really enjoyed this but they are closing and there will be no more estate sales. According to their website Old Mobile has offered the “most interesting selection of quality antique furniture, opulent accent … [Read more...] about Lundberg Studios Marble
Amache Marbles
Photo Courtesy of the Library of Congress[1] Ever heard of Amache? What about the Amache Internment Camp or the Granada Relocation Center in Granada, Colorado? No? Well let us tell you a story about courage, the resilience of children, the toughness of their families, lives turned upside down . . . and marbles! Regardless of the … [Read more...] about Amache Marbles
Fun With Larry Alley’s Menagerie
Every marble collector that we know has at least a handful of Alley Agate swirl marbles. Over the years we have found it a bit harder to find Alley glassware, especially children’s ware, although it is out there if you look hard enough. Do you also collect Alley Agate animals and those clear glass radio antenna strain relief … [Read more...] about Fun With Larry Alley’s Menagerie
Tips To Help You Identify Your Marbles: An Annotated List of References
Let’s say that you’ve just inherited a bunch of marbles from your father, a great aunt, or your grandfather. Or, you’re in a giant flea market in Chiefland, Florida, and you are offered this lunch pail which grandpaw carried to work on the train with him for forty years! The pail itself is an antique and it still has both a lid and … [Read more...] about Tips To Help You Identify Your Marbles: An Annotated List of References
The Long Last Ride & A “Well-Contested” Game of Marbles
Drawing by Jerry Barker, Mobile, Alabama, 2024 April 1865, at the very end of the American Civil War, was one of the most contentious and consequential months in all of American history. On April 2nd the Confederate Capital, Richmond, Virginia, was effectively evacuated and buildings along the waterfront were burned as … [Read more...] about The Long Last Ride & A “Well-Contested” Game of Marbles
The Novel ‘Qadir’s Marbles’: If Only All Children Could Play Marbles In A Pomegranate Garden
Guest Author: Caroline Janssen [Editor's Note: Here we introduce you to Caroline Janssen and her thoughtful analysis of a book, the human spirit, and the role of marbles in society. Caroline is a professor at Ghent University (Belgium). She has previously contributed to this magazine with her article about the history of marbles … [Read more...] about The Novel ‘Qadir’s Marbles’: If Only All Children Could Play Marbles In A Pomegranate Garden
2024 Marble Fest in Belgium
They’re Getting Ready! In the village of Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke), Belgium, they are working hard for an upcoming marble festival. Just a little longer and it's time, Tuesday August 6th from 2 pm! There will be lots of marbles, fun, and games. To read about the 2023 festival and see photos taken then, read our story from last … [Read more...] about 2024 Marble Fest in Belgium
Notes From A Gifted Marble Polymerist[1]
Stéphane Balasa, Cergy-Pontoise, Ile-De-France, France I have been a polymerist for about 10 years in France. I was influenced by the work of Carl Fischer, Dave Becker, and my first marble purchase came from Blaine Allan Green.[2] I always wanted to make marbles. Unfortunately it was not possible for me to work with hot glass … [Read more...] about Notes From A Gifted Marble Polymerist[1]
The Drum, Tee-to-tum & Other Marble Stories
We enjoy wandering through old historic newspapers from all across the United States. You may have read our stories “Marbles in the Saddle Bag,” “Grandpa’s Marble Stories, ” and “A.L. Dyke: Man of Mystery” We found our inspiration for these stories in the online digital newspaper archives of the Library of Congress.[1] The … [Read more...] about The Drum, Tee-to-tum & Other Marble Stories
