Marble Stories

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]

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

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

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

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

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

Most of the time we write about what we know or what we imagine. And most of the time that means we explore marble mysteries, history, and secrets in the parts of the United States east of the Mississippi. And, of course, we sometimes examine marble mysteries without any clear resolution. But just look at this beautiful view of … [Read more...] about Marbles In The Saddlebags

Have you ever seen something similar to this in an antique store, flea market, or yard sale and wondered what it is? And have you seen the same kind of ball in a shop but then heard very different back stories about what they are, how old they are, where they come from, and how they were used? We certainly have. There is no … [Read more...] about “River Balls” & Their Toy Marble Legacy

Most of us marble enthusiasts who have collected for a while, been to some marble shows, read marble posts, and made friends in the community, and who have bought, sold, bartered, and given away marbles for years, have at least a basic knowledge of Akron, Ohio, in the 1890s. This was a time of fevered industrial expansion and … [Read more...] about A.L. Dyke: Man of Mystery

“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 … [Read more...] about American Marbles Hidden in Halifax

Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Pellet Crossbow ca. 1550 – 1600, Probably Italian or French[1] Some of you may hunt with crossbows or may use them recreationally. Others may also use stone bows or pellet bows and you may know all about different type pellets, caliber, velocity, and overall firepower. Well, … [Read more...] about Stonebows Using Marbles?