Yep, a Lead-Clad Glass Marble: But Why? We learn a lot of interesting things from the comments we receive from this magazine and from emails from readers of our book The Secret Life of Marbles. We enjoy hearing from readers. Just awhile ago we received this intriguing email sent from an iphone. A Remarkable Email “I found this … [Read more...] about A Lead-Clad Marble
The Art of Making Marbles in the 21st Century
He's Got Marbles! Today, in America, fewer commercial factories make glass marbles than are made by artists and in hot glass studios. We have posted before about two great marble makers, Dave McCullough and Sammy Hogue, who are transitioning to small batch marble production. Also, all across America, glass artists make … [Read more...] about The Art of Making Marbles in the 21st Century
Road Trip to West Virginia III
“Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall….” Daniel 5:5-12 “Everybody’s Leaving Town….”[1] This old truck is ready to haul one more load of scrap glass down from Pennsylvania or one more truck load of crated marbles to the rail depot. It was a misty cool morning as we climbed down the ridge … [Read more...] about Road Trip to West Virginia III
West Virginia Here We Come Part II
“Summits bathed in glory….” “Life is Old There….” This is a view of Middle Island Creek taken from the Rails to Trails trestle near West Union. The Trail continues into the town of about 670. The town and this portion of the Creek are in Doddridge County. Middle Island Creek meanders along slowly, through the jug handle, for 77 … [Read more...] about West Virginia Here We Come Part II
West Virginia Here We Come!
“Almost Heaven….” Wild & Wonderful Some of our readers live in West Virginia and they have the luxury of exploring the wild and wonderful State at their leisure. Others of us have visited many times, explored the Rails to Trails and other hiking trails, and seen mink in the wetland., We know for certain that black bears … [Read more...] about West Virginia Here We Come!
Playing Marbles As Shown on Dutch Tiles
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. “Tiles with Scenes of Children Playing”; BK-1955-328-A; Netherlands ca. 1680 – 1730; Tin glazed earthenware majolica; height c. 107 cm × width c. 80 cm; Used with Permission Wie wat bewaart, die heeft wat . Who saves, has something. Old Dutch saying. 400 Years of Playing Marbles & Other Children’s … [Read more...] about Playing Marbles As Shown on Dutch Tiles
Once Upon A Time in America
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard Finding Something You’re Not Looking For In August we published two stories, “What a Spectacle!” about marble tournament competition medals. In the stories we explain how we found the online Library of Congress newspaper archive at the … [Read more...] about Once Upon A Time in America
What a Spectacle! The Rest of the Story
“What is history, but a fable agreed upon?”---Napoleon Bonaparte On The Hunt for Marble Competition Medals We had been learning about marble competition medals, as told in the first part of this story, for many years before we ever found one for sale. We had had no luck finding one until we visited an antique shop in Tifton, … [Read more...] about What a Spectacle! The Rest of the Story
What A Spectacle! National Championship and Tournament Marble Medals
“Not so bad – huh” Ray Snow, artist. Harrisburg Telegraph, PA, 1924. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. “Memory itself is an internal rumour.”— George Santayana, Reason in Science, 1906. 1922 Was a Long Time Ago Einstein theorized that both time and space are relative. One … [Read more...] about What A Spectacle! National Championship and Tournament Marble Medals
Meet Me At The Rio: On The Track of Theater Marbles
"I'd horsewhip you, if I had a horse." - Horse Feathers (1932) Five unused tickets to the one-night-only Midnight Burlesque Show La Vie Paree, Saenger Theatre, Mobile, Alabama, 13 January 1934. Balcony seats cost .55¢ with tax. “Say it Ain’t So! A Fantasy?” In the summer of 2006 we had only been collecting marbles for a … [Read more...] about Meet Me At The Rio: On The Track of Theater Marbles
A Conversation with L.E. Alley III
No history of American machine made marbles is complete without the history of Alley Agate Company. Likewise, no collection can be complete without a few specimens of these gorgeous marbles! While we were on the road to Round Top, Texas, we acquired several beautiful Alley marbles to add to our collection. When we got home we … [Read more...] about A Conversation with L.E. Alley III
As Real As A $3.00 Bill!
“Decision making, like coffee, needs a cooling process.” George Washington[1] A $3.00 Bill & Marble Packaging It isn’t illegal to print $3.00 bills. The United States government has never issued one so it can’t be counterfeit. Likewise it isn’t illegal to print headers that look “defeated” ---shop … [Read more...] about As Real As A $3.00 Bill!
