The Transatlantic Steamship Liverpool. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division 2003679830 “…If this life is a shipwreck, we must rescue as many as we can, and not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” Peter Gay: his viewpoint about the message of Voltaire’s story “Candide” “Down to the Sea in … [Read more...] about Shipwreck Marbles: Found from Wreckage
Shipwreck Marbles: The Rest of the Story
Wall tile, Harlinger, Netherlands, 1650-1700 Tin-glazed eathernware with painted decoration in blue with manganese outline, a ship. Image ID 2007 BN2966. Accession No. C.569:2-1923. Victoria and Albert Museum, London Collectibles, London. [11] An Old Broken Jar When we lived in Kissimmee, … [Read more...] about Shipwreck Marbles: The Rest of the Story
Rock & Roll: How to Store and Show Your Marbles
“If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.” – Michael Crichton How many marbles ya’ got? When we tell people about our marble hobby and collection one or two questions invariably come next. It’s a tie between “How many ya’ got?” and the old chestnut … [Read more...] about Rock & Roll: How to Store and Show Your Marbles
No, Virginia, 9th Century Venetian Marbles Do Not Exist
Wagner & Debes. Venezia. [Leipzig: Geograph. Anstalt v. Wagner & Debes, ?, 1886] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2001620482/> If we knew what it was we were doing , it would not be called research, would it? Albert Einstein Whoever Said There Were? Well, a number of … [Read more...] about No, Virginia, 9th Century Venetian Marbles Do Not Exist
The Lauschaer Glashütte and the Origins of Modern Glass Marbles
Used with permission of Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Greiner-Bär. Sapere aude In the Beginning... B. Alan Basinet[1] made a significant contribution to our understanding of the setting, history, and beginnings of the Lauscha, Germany glassworks[2] . And we all recognize that Everrett Grist and Paul Baumann have become the … [Read more...] about The Lauschaer Glashütte and the Origins of Modern Glass Marbles
Fenton Glass Marbles
“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.” Marie Curie [1] Doped Marbles & the 2% Club In our book The Secret Life of Marbles we take a look at one way the American Military used uranium-doped marbles in Cold War weapons testing. That section is called Hot Glass and Moving Targets and it is in … [Read more...] about Fenton Glass Marbles
Were Victorian Sulfide Marbles Made in America?
All knowledge degenerates into probability. — David Hume [1] A Little Backstory We have a few Victorian sulfides in our collection and we recently posted Contemporary Figural Marbles in this eMagazine. Check that post for some background on sulfides. In 2006 we first asked ourselves the question “Were sulfide marbles … [Read more...] about Were Victorian Sulfide Marbles Made in America?
Museum and Other Resources
We're providing you with some of the best museum resources that we've found along the way. Each of these museums contributed to our book, The Secret Life of Marbles. The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia The staff at the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia have been, without exception, extremely … [Read more...] about Museum and Other Resources
Contemporary Figural Marbles
The proper order of things is often a mystery to me.” - Cheshire Cat A Few Words about Words What precisely is the difference between an antique and a contemporary figural marble? Before 1890 marbles were handmade; today gorgeous glass marbles are still being made by hand. Are “contemporary” marbles those made using … [Read more...] about Contemporary Figural Marbles
How are Marbles & Civil War Prison Art Connected?
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” - Albert Einstein All or Nothing Is nothing something? Does nothing mean something? These two questions have served as the basis for study and debate, including at the post-graduate level, for millennia. Scholars in both philosophy and physics carry on … [Read more...] about How are Marbles & Civil War Prison Art Connected?
Bobby Dazzlers! Marbles Used in Jewelry
Bammy-douzler? As you may well imagine the phrase “bobby dazzler” is much older than it’s recent use on Oak Island. The phrase is known in Australia, but it’s origin can be traced to the mid-19th century in northern England. The meaning of the first part of the phrase is unknown. The second word is from the verb “dazzle”, … [Read more...] about Bobby Dazzlers! Marbles Used in Jewelry
Marbles Used as Munitions in the American Civil War
I’m 100% Certain! Somewhat…. Which facts, stories, or statistics do you know with absolute certainty about the Civil War? You may not remember it “off the top of your head” but you can certainly get the solid facts online, right? Yes. And no. For example, President Lincoln used electrical signaling with unparallel … [Read more...] about Marbles Used as Munitions in the American Civil War
