Faces and Places

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

The magazine editors received a message recently from a reader, Edward, with a question about this very unusual stone sphere.  Here is the message: “I have attached a photo of what I think is a paleoindian (?) marble.  Found along the South Platte River in Littleton, Colorado, it is made of coarse-grained quartzite with the grains … [Read more...] about Is This A Marble?

We learned recently from Wendy Leyn, our colleague and friend in Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke), West Flanders, Belgium that “marble minds” really do think alike.  He recently saw this gigantic marble online and he wrote to Professor Lesley De Cruz[1], who is pictured above.Wendy: “I saw a nice photo of you with a ‘giant marble’ in the … [Read more...] about Wow! What Size Marble Is That?

In a previous post, we wrote a short announcement about attending a rolley hole tournament.  We recently learned about a long-standing tournament in Tennessee and a permanent rolley hole yard which honors a marble maker named Bud Garrett Robert “Bud” Garrett was an African-American musician, marble maker and supporter of a … [Read more...] about Rolley Hole Update

Recognize these D.A.S. marbles?  These were made by the legendary Dave McCullough (deceased 2024) in his hot glass shop Dave's Appalachian Swirls in Pennsboro, W.V.  Dave was the premier colorist of the 20th and 21st centuries. In the March 29, 2012 online issue of Poor Richard's Almanac, Dave is referred to as having set the … [Read more...] about History Flashback: Dave McCullough & D.A.S. Marbles

Co-Author: Wendy Leyn, Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke), West Flanders, Belgium Marbles in Russia? If you have been following the story line about Russian marbles, you will understand  that there is a lot behind this story in addition to researching their history.  You can catch up with the story line at Has Nikolai Lost His Marbles? and … [Read more...] about Nikolai’s Marbles: Analytic Comments

In the recent post Dimple Shooting in Belgium we introduced Wendy Leyn of Zandvoorde in West Flanders Belgium. Wendy lives in the old boys' school of Zandvoorde which was rebuilt after the total destruction of the first world war (14-18). He told us about the upcoming first Belgian Marble Festival planned for August, where they … [Read more...] about Dimple Shooting Belgians: Their First Marble Festival

National Rolley Hole Championshop September 16, 2023 Standing Stone State Park, Tennessee Thanks, Marble Lance for the reminder! We attended in 2016, had a table and traded marbles! Had a wonderful time! Jo even participated in the ringer tournament. Learned all kinds of things about rolley hole and how important it has been … [Read more...] about 2023 Rolley Hole Championship

We had a good time this year in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Like last year the show and sale was at the Twin Mountains Inn & Suites which is directly on the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. And, again, like last year, our room overlooked the River. New Hot Glass Artists While we are always glad to see old friends, we … [Read more...] about Marbles in the Mountains 2023

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

“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

"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