Marbles: Learn about and start collecting marbles today. There's more to marbles than you may think.
I collect marbles with my oldest son, Howie, who is 5 years old. This is something we both enjoy and spend anywhere from a few minutes to hours on a regular basis looking at our marble collection and trying to identify the maker and the style. This is much easier said than done. We currently have close to 2500 marbles. Marble collecting is a great hobby to take up for yourself, your children, and grandchildren. It's a wholesome hobby and the bonding time is priceless. Identifying the marbles and various makers involve research and a few marble books. We started collecting them in the late summer of 2007 and I'm far from an expert, but I have learned a lot in the last year. Finding them outside of the online world can be enjoyable by going to garage sales or antique stores trying to add some beautiful marbles to your collection. Even buying online can be exciting by looking at the photos and determing how much you should pay for them, or seeing some exquisite marbles that are beyond your price range and dreaming of owning them. Be careful when buying marbles because photos can be deceiving, the best way to evaluate a marble is holding in your hand and inspecting it yourself. At times when looking at marbles you should use a magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe to make sure it isn't a remelt or been polished because this cuts down on the value of a marble.
My son and I inherited about half of them from my departed grandfather who used to shoot marbles when he was a young boy. He used to show me his marbles when I was young and I always appreciated the beauty and stories behind some of his marbles. Grandpa had them stored in several glass jars. Unfortunately, the majority of his hand-made marbles disappeared before I received the collection. I prefer the old German Handmades and Vitro and Akro are my favorite machine made.
Most marbles currently are made of glass. In the past, clay was predominantly used. Glass marbles started to be made around mid 1800's from what I've heard/read and the earliest glass marbles came from Germany. Of course there are stone marbles and porcelain marbles have been made for some years. Some even used ball bearings called steelies to shoot marbles. I prefer glass marbles over others but everyone is different. Marbles generally range between 1/2"-a little over an inch. Typically a shooter is 3/4 or larger. Really small marbles are called Peewees; 3/8-1/2" are general sizes of most peewees but some have been made that are even under 1/4". Once you get involved in Marbles, I warn you, you could be hooked. Don't worry that's a good thing:) I've had marble collectors contact me and say keep up the good work but please feel free to add links and comments on the page. Make suggestions on polls or duels, I'd like to hear from you.
I'm also a member of LOM (Land of Marbles) and Marble Connection which are pretty cool sites for ID purposes/values/and just good, informative marble talk or to have questions answered. There are other sites as well but these are the two I use. I don't post much anymore but I browse quite a bit. I welcome comments and feedback.
Just added a new poll about your favorite colored marbles so vote on that as well, if you desire. I know most marbles have multi colors but what is your favorite main color on a marble?
Some may wonder how do you measure a marble to get it's size and why is it important? If you ever buy and sell marbles, size is important because some marbles were made in various sizes and the larger ones almost always have more value. I use a caliper to measure a marble and using a tape to measure around a marble is not the correct way, that measures the marble's circumference. Electronic calipers can be be picked up at a reasonable price with a basic Centech brand model selling close to 15-20 dollars at Harbor Freight or online.
Links that I enjoy and hope you do as well
- good marble forum
- One of the biggest marble sites on the web. Find out about what marbles you have and enjoy the company there.
- My fave site
- This is my favorite marble site. Not the largest but definitely one of the most friendliest. Check it out.
- My VIdeo Game Store
- I enjoy marbles and video games. This link shows what old school games that I have in my blujay store. It's a strange combination that I have about marbles and video games but everyone is different. Stop by and check it out.
- my space page
- Myspace page, I want marble collectors to add me as a friend or any good people who are down to earth.
- blujay homepage
- A great site that has many items to purchase in individual stores. I buy here, I sell here. A lot better than Ebay or Amazon with a personal touch. Just check it out for yourself.
- MY 1st SQUIDOO PAGE
- This lens is all about me trying to promote the classic video games that we played in the past, especially for us 26 year olds plus. I started out on the old 8 bit NES system when I was about 8, and at that time, I was blown away with how cool it was. I remember blowing on the old carts and reinserting the game until the system worked. Then I was so pumped up when the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis came out because they worked a lot better with minimal blowing and better graphics. Those were the days.
- My OTHER SQUIDOO PAGE
- I really just wanted a squidoo lens that discusses my favorite games that my son and I could win together. This lens is focused on 16 bit or less games, those of 15-25 years ago with the 2D graphics. My favorite past time is firing up the old NES or Sega Genesis and spending time with my son, sharin
- My Lens promoting Blujay the free site to sell
- Blujay is a great site for online selling or buying with no fees or hidden costs. Check out my lens that explains the benefits of a blujay store.
My blujay store classicvideogamesplus.blujay.com
How I support our marble buying hobby
Marble info, suggestions, and thoughts
Info about identifying marbles, marble photo, and general info
Collecting marbles is a wonderful hobby and I try to promote it so it is picked up by younger generations. I welcome comments, advice, questions, and thoughts. All fellow marble collectors, it would be an honor if you passed this lens along to others. Thanks to all who have voted on and viewed this lens. Feel free to sign the guestbook and add comments there or in comments Plexo area. If you have some photos you want me to post of a marble/marbles send it in an email and I'll try to add it. Here is 1 photo of some of my son's and mine which primarily are machine-mades with many Vitros and Marble Kings in the pic. More marble photos below in the flickr module.
Identifying your marbles can be very confusing and/or difficult at times, something I can relate to. I have the Big Book of Marbles by Grist 3rd edition and it helps out. I bought it new at Borders for about 20 dollars. In the future, I'd like to purchase American Machine-Made Marbles by Dean Six, Johnson, and Susie Metzler because one book doesn't always cover everything. Most marble collectors have several books they use for reference. There are also many good books by the Blocks: Stanley, Mark, and Robert. Paul Baumann has a few good books as well. Just trying to promote some good marble books for ID purposes/rough estimates of a marble's worth. I have links throughout the lens for a couple of good marble forums as well where fellow mib collectors congregate and welcome the newcomers.
June 1: Picked up a small bag of marbles at a garage sale for 2 dollars, about 60 marbles. All were marbles from 80's-current but you can't find older marbles all the time.
July 26: Haven't found any marbles lately. It doesn't help that the money is tight right now with the obscene gas prices and the like. Hopefully will be able to get some more soon.
July 28: People have emailed asking I have some marbles, how much are they worth? It's hard to say and pictures provide very little help at times with size of the marble, the exact maker/type, etc. Most machine made marbles which are generally 1/2-3/4inch range from a few cents to upwards of 20 dollars at times. Handmades generally bring more money and most easily identified for beginners is that they will have two poles/called pontils where they were made and are generally raised up. Machine mades are generally perfectly round and have no pontils. I'm not here to give estimates because it is impossible by photos and knowing the condition of the marble. I also don't have the time to do your research for you since I have a family. I do it the old fashioned way, by using books and keeping up to date on auction prices for the same marble type on various sites. I recommend that others do the same thing and use a few of the sites I have listed in my links and members there will be more than willing to help you out with any of your questions. If you do post photos for ID purposes, take clear, well light, close up shots and can be done using the Macro function on your digital camera.
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MY Blujay store: http://www.blujay.com/classicvideogamesplus
Vintage games like Nintendo, N64, Sega Genesis, and SNES
I sell video games and the like to support my son's and I, marble buying hobby among other things. So if you ever shop at my blujay store, you know what I use some of the money for:) There are a bunch of cool stores at blujay with many featuring handcrafted, unique items so check the site and see for yourself.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byReader Feedback
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ade
Wow this is a superb lens you have put together. Firstly not such a strange combo of hobbies. I collected vintage marbles for 3 years now and also collect vintage consoles (mainly so I can show my son in a few years what gaming was like for me growing up). Secondly, a great book I often use is Vintage Marbles Identification and Price Guide by Robert Block. Finally, I just started a blog on vintage marbles hoping to encourage new collectors and to share my marble stories with others. You can see the first post on the 5 vital factors of vintage marbles Posted August 17, 2008 |
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ade
Wow this is a superb lens you have put together. Firstly not such a strange combo of hobbies. I collected vintage marbles for 3 years now and also collect vintage consoles (mainly so I can show my son in a few years what gaming was like for me growing up). Secondly, a great book I often use is Vintage Marbles Identification and Price Guide by Robert Block. Finally, I just started a blog on vintage marbles hoping to encourage new collectors and to share my marble stories with others. You can see the first post on the 5 vital factors of vintage marbles Posted August 17, 2008 |
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ade
Wow this is a superb lens you have put together. Firstly not such a strange combo of hobbies. I collected vintage marbles for 3 years now and also collect vintage consoles (mainly so I can show my son in a few years what gaming was like for me growing up). Secondly, a great book I often use is Vintage Marbles Identification and Price Guide by Robert Block. Finally, I just started a blog on vintage marbles hoping to encourage new collectors and to share my marble stories with others. You can see the first post on the 5 vital factors of vintage marbles Posted August 17, 2008 |
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Cassies_Crafts
I revisited your lens Please do the same for me thank you cassie Posted August 08, 2008 |
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2FriendsTreasures
Nice Squidoo page. We just bought a bunch of marbles at a yard sale to sell on our eBay site. We dont know too much about them and your site helped us out some. How can you tell if they are hand made or machine made? Posted July 30, 2008 |
Reader Feedback
What is better to collect or you enjoy more? Handmades of any era whether old Germans or Contemporaries. Or machine mades produced by Vitro, Akro, etc. I'll start out and say I enjoy trying to find handmades and I enjoy them more than machine mades. Your turn now.
Better: Handmade vs. Machinemade
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byHandmades
ade says:
No contest even the most stunning contempory is out-classed by a vintage handmade.... Until the contempory becomes vintage?
Posted August 17, 2008
MeMeBev says:
The last comment was me...usually it ask for you to sign in before posting...sorry, you are getting two for the price of one!
Posted May 15, 2008
MeMeBev says:
Handmade! That is why I am always making things...
Posted May 15, 2008
Machinemades
New Poll Module
Favorite machine made marble maker?
Favorite Marble Type
Just a few examples of what is your favorite type of marble.
New Poll Module
New Links Voting (Plexo)
Please add your links in regards to collecting marbles or blujay stores
http://www.blujay.com/bjstl90
You will find lapidary supplies, grits and polish. more...1 point
Antique Marbles
The area marble mines in Rajasthan (Rajsambandh more...1 point
djpoorfarmherefords Store
D&J Poor Farm offers dvds and vhs movies, chil more...1 point
http://www.blujay.com/renagadesrelics
Great LP reocrds,artisan Jewelry and more! Free s more...1 point
http://www.blujay.com/BusyQueen
A warm welcome to blujay http://www.blujay.com/Bus more...0 points
http://blujay.com/stores/Front-Porch-Dreaming
Welcome to my shop. You'll find name brand clothin more...0 points
http://www.blujay.com/buzz-in-collectibles
After almost 50 years of searching antique shops, more...0 points
oldhottie Store
Hello everyone...I am excited to be a part of the more...0 points
da_lizard_of_ozz Store
Selling music and other items since 1980.0 points
georges Store
I am a WAHM that homeschools now one of my childre more...0 points
Memories Of Glass Marbles | Alana's Memories
Collectible glass marbles of days gone by.0 points
YourTurn Store
Variety of items to collect, figurines, collector more...0 points
SECONDCHANCEGIFTS Store
variety of items for the entire family0 points
cafs02 Store
CAFS Corner Store has collectibles, home décor, b more...0 points
E's Surplus Supplies
Jun 4, 2008 ... http://ZooRajah10.blujay.com · E more...0 points
E's Surplus Supplies
Jun 4, 2008 ... http://ZooRajah10.blujay.com · E more...0 points
BM Enterprise
Pocket Knives, Fantasy Knives, Collector Knives, L more...0 points
What do you think of Collecting Marbles?
Thoughts about marbles or my lens.
Marble books I recommend
Everett Grist's Big Book of Marbles: A Comprehensive Identification & Value Guide For Both Antique and Machine-Made Marbles (Grist's Big Book of Marbles)
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 08/21/2008)
Marble Books I recommend
American Machine-Made Marbles: Marble Bags, Boxes, and History (A Schiffer Book for Collectors)
Amazon Price: $21.86 (as of 08/21/2008)
Here's my favorite link:
Great Stuff on CafePress
I Love Marbles Jr. Ringer T-Shirt
I Love Marbles t-shirts, stickers and apparel. Get your favorite hobby or sport heart shirt and show off your passion.
Marbles day Infant Bodysuit
Every day is Marbles day t-shirts, stickers and clothing for those who like Marbles.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 3-user
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 08/21/2008)
Norton Internet Security 2008 up to 3 Users
Amazon Price: $48.89 (as of 08/21/2008)
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Amazon Price: $30.00 (as of 08/21/2008)
McAfee Total Protection 2008 - 3 User
Amazon Price: $35.00 (as of 08/21/2008)
Norton Antivirus 2008 3 User
Amazon Price: $31.99 (as of 08/21/2008)
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