VINTAGE MARBLES

Starting off with some antique and vintage German marbles of interest.

Probably the most sought after collectable marbles for sale are those produced in Germany in the 1800s and very early 1900s. These early examples were carefully handcrafted and considered by some to be works of art. For several decades Germany dominated the world's handcrafted marble making industry.


Muti-colored marbles mouse pad by marybedy


However, with the invention of the glass marble making machine in the US around 1905 the end was in sight. Marbles could now be mass produced for those who were only interested in a product sufficient to play games. Although there were still enthusiasts interested in collecting marbles for the beauty and art, that was a much smaller market. Then when World War I broke out in 1914 and German imports to the USA were banned that was the end. Even after the War new tariffs imposed by the US Government finished off German Marbles as a viable market in America.

>Highly desirable Antique Marble German made - Solid Core Swirl - Excellent Condition.

>52 Vintage German Marbles.

>10 Antique German Marbles

>More than 200 Vintage Marbles.

>7/8th inch Antique German Marble - Beautiful Banded Latticinio Swirl.

Below are a few examples of these vintage marbles from Germany available for purchase.

Handmade glass marbles are still being produced today and although some are works of art, most true marble collectors prefer the older examples. Some rare marbles can be very pricey, but it is possible to build a very nice collection with a moderated budget. Collecting marbles is becoming a popular hobby, so one might have to check several sources to find a wanted item at a reasonable price.

If you are a beginner, there is one major indicator to watch for. There is at least one, and most likely two, spots on the marble called pontils. This is the place where the marble was separated from the glass rod from which it was made. You need to either find it or trust the seller if purchasing online. Most sellers are honest, this is just a point by which a real handmade marble can be identified.


MARBLE IN COLOR PENCIL,NECK TIE by joyart


Below are some examples of Vintage Marbles for admiring and for sale.

>4 Vintage Hand Made Agate Marbles

>Antique Paneled Onionskin with Rare Double Pontil - 3/4"

>12 Vintage Marbles - Milk Glass with varied color bands.

>80 Vintage Marbles from the early 1900s.

>42 Vintage Marbles.

Lost My Marbles by TheYankeeDingo


Clay and stone were the first materials used to make marbles. The making and use of marbles has been around for hundreds and even thousands of years. Marbles have been used in games and as toys for a long time.

The earliest marbles discovered by archeologists, to my knowledge, was at the excavations of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan. The city was built about 2600 BC and was inhabited for about approximately 700 to 800 years. The marbles discovered at this location were, not surprisingly made from stone.

Early examples of stone and clay marbles have also been found in ancient Egyptian archeological sites.

Below are some examples of clay marbles which may be purchased or just viewed.

>20 Vintage clay Marbles in some nice colors.

>33 Vintage Clay Marbles.

>80 Antique Clay Marbles - Nice variety of shades and colors.

>87 Beautiful Hand Painted Antique Marbles - Colorful assortment of Clay Marbles.

>12 Old Clay Marbles - Traditional, Natural Colors.

It is my understanding that antique marbles made from stoneware or crockery and then glazed were designated as Bennington. This type of clay marbles were fired with a salt glaze. Many of the Benningtons have spots from being in contact with other marbles during firing that may not have color or glazing.

The most common colors of Benningtons are Brown and Blue, but others were produced and are more sought after.


Lost Marbles Mug by Swe3tnsourchicke

The mug actually does have a handle.

Even though there are stories that Bennington marbles were produced in Bennington, Vermont, most if not all of these marbles were imported from Germany in the 1800s and early 1900s making this story improbable.

Below are some examples of antique Bennington marbles that may be purchased.

>60 Mint Condition Brown Bennington marbles

>1 Bennington Marble in Unusual Shades of Green and Cream.

>29 Vintage Bennington Marbles.

>1 Brown Bennington Marble - Looks to have some cream & yellow to me?

>9 Antique Bennington Marbles in several colors.

Marbles by gtk88594


Below are some examples of modern handmade marbles for sale. These exhibit the superb handicraft that is present in today's handmade marble making industry. These are very rare marbles as they are one of a kind and appeal to other collectors of glass and so forth an not just marble collectors.

Here are some examples available for purchase.

> Beautiful Ceramic Marbles Hand Crafted by Italy Marbled Arts.

>A Modern Version Of an Antique Victorian Design

>1 1/2 Inch Rick Davis Marble Entitiled Candy Shop 2012

>An Art Glass Marble crafted by Robert Hamon - It is signed as B. Hamon with a "99 date.

>A Steve Davis Collectible Marble titled "Spring Vacation" - Signed by the Artist.

marbleold by olivia97


Below are some books that you might find helpful in evaluating your collectible marbles. There is lots of great information in these guides. Keep in mind that any pricing information is probably out of date although it is still very useful in determining rare marbles and other valuable types.

The books are as follows:

-Antique and Collectible Marbles by Everett Grist
This is a terrific pocket guide for marble collectors. It describes the various classification of marbles and has color photographic examples of some of the different types of marbles.

-Marbles: Identification and Price Guide by Robert Block
All the major categories of marbles can be found in this comprehensive guide. Contained in this comprehensive guide is information about marbles handmade from stone, stoneware, glass and anything else marbles have been made from. Mr Block discusses the marble companies that produced both handmade and machine made marbles. There is also information about the production of modern handmade marbles and what to look for in collectibles. Block gives four determining factors to be aware of when evaluating what a marble may be worth.

-Collecting Antique Marbles: Identification and Price Guide by Paul Baumann
This book is considered by many collectors as being one of the best. Included is a how-to-guide on spotting reproductions and fakes as well as an informative history of marble manufacturers and marble types that is very useful.

-Antique Glass End-Of-Day Marbles by Stanley A. Block
This guide makes clear that the "end of day marbles" legend was just that, a legend. The legend was that at the end of the day workers would hang around to make their own marbles from leftover glass. This was not the case as it was a specific style of handmade marble manufacture that utilized a variety of colors to make a special marble with a striking look. There are almost nine hundred color pictures to use as references. This is a superb resource for this specific and fascinating niche of marble collecting.

-Marbles Beyond Glass by Stanley A. Block
Another terrific marble guide by Block. Although marbles may have originally been made from actual marble it is more likely they were stone or clay. At any rate these, perhaps mis-named spheres, have been made from an endless list of other options. Stone of all types, clay, crockery, pottery, china, porcelain, cloisonne, scrimshaw, wood, metal and many other materials have been used. There are more than nine hundred color photographs for use in identifying and classifying these, other than glass, marbles. Another excellent guide book.

"going for all the marbles" T-Shirt by SuperDays
Browse more Marbles T-Shirts

Just a few more examples. These are not, in general, as expensive as those above.

Here is a list of the marbles below:

>Set of five handmade Italian Florentine Marbles actually made in Italy.

>A three piece set of Round Swirl Handmade Glass Marbles. Sizes 9/10" - 1" Diameter.

>Three piece set of Round Swirls Red Core Handmade Glass Marbles. Size 9/10" Diameter

>Rare Handmade Clear White Cracked Glass Marble - 2 inches in diameter

>3 Stone Marbles made from Natural Light Pink Jasper - 1.4 inches in diameter