# Machine Made Marbles???



## Staunton Dan (Jun 4, 2010)

OK, the hand made marbles are fairly easy to distinguish with the right book or website. What confuses me are the machine made marbles. Akro this and slag that, Peltier, Marble King, Oxbloods, corkscrews, hand gathered, well, you get the idea. This all can be very confusing, as for me they overlap and many look the same but are called different than what I would call them. Can anyone out there who is knowledgeable, simplify the categories for me and anyone else who is also confused and wanting to know? For example, how about a few categories to begin with and then some pictures of examples of each. This woud be a big help to me and I know to others as well.


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## Road Dog (Jun 4, 2010)

Try this link. Go to marble pictures. I'll try and post some stuff when I get time.
  http://www.joemarbles.com/1Marble%20Picture%20Pages/Marble%20Identification.htm


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## bostaurus (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks for that link.  It is fascinating but I still have trouble telling one for another.


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## Road Dog (Jun 4, 2010)

It takes time. Alot of hands on especially. Folks that are considered Pros still get stumped especially with the West Virginia Swirl Companies. Try to learn the easier ones first. Peltier, Akro, Marble King, Master, Christensen and M.F. Christensen.


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## Staunton Dan (Jun 4, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Road Dog
> 
> It takes time. Alot of hands on especially. Folks that are considered Pros still get stumped especially with the West Virginia Swirl Companies. Try to learn the easier ones first. Peltier, Akro, Marble King, Master, Christensen and M.F. Christensen.


 
 OK, that being said, what is the difference between a slag, corkscrew, swirl, hand gathered, etc.? To me a lot of them look the same. BTW, thanks for the website too. It is a great help to actually see some examples of the various marbles.


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

That is a favorite link Road Dog ! Dan like RD said it is hard learning all the types and companies .I have bought 5 books ,posted on many marble sites getting ids for over a year,looked at  thousands of pictures ,watching e-bay sales,and i still feel i am just starting to get it .Hope the marble section is allowed .                         Size    ,  condition , type(rarity) and colors are big factors .What size is the handmade (second pic) ? It looks mint .                These are   Ravenswood swirls


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

Ruff made slag ,slags are opaque white swirled through a translucent (sp?) base ,i think


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

Akro corkscrew ,just means color stream is  in corkscrew pattern (circles around marble)


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

This was ided as handgathered M. F.Christensen ,usually show a 9 or 6 pattern  .For much better pics of marbles click on Road Dogs link


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

Akro slag ,you can sorta see the crow


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

Akro cork ,cork color bands can be tight and numerous or wide and few .


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

M F C slag


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

Posted these already but they are mostly easy to id, for me any way .They are Peltiers  .      Hope Road Dog posts some pics he knows marbles and hopefully will correct any of my mistakes .


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## crozet86 (Jun 5, 2010)

Very nice marbles Dan and Rick.Great way to learn identification with the closeups.


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## Digswithstick (Jun 5, 2010)

Akro oxblood ,there are silver and milky types of these this is milky .Hope i am not jinxing the marble section by posting these


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## idigjars (Jun 5, 2010)

Great marble pics Dan and Rick.  

 Road Dog, that is a great site.  Thank you for sharing it with us.  

 I like marbles also.  I tried collecting them for a little while but it takes some time learning the different makers of the machine mades.  I guess my favorite machine mades are the popeyes.  I have a multi colored that I love.

 I gave a lot of my marbles to my Grandson who really likes them.  I kept some to display.  When we get the marble section I will post some of my pics.

 Thanks for sharing the pics and information.  Best regards.  Paul


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## Road Dog (Jun 5, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Staunton Dan
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 This pic shows a Divided Core. Make sure to check the green for aventurine.


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## Road Dog (Jun 5, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  idigjars
> 
> Great marble pics Dan and Rick.
> 
> ...


 Paul I started with Akros when I got into marbles years ago. Sold alot off 4 years ago . Still have quite a few Akro though.


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## jskirk (Jun 5, 2010)

Here is the best of what I have in Akros at this time, They are all mint and probably the middle of the road in Akros as far as value, I have collected for awhile but I have sold off quite afew collections when I want to go an vacation, I know I have sold better than I have right now,but they seem to sell easier when I need a little extra money. I always say that I am done with Marbles after I sell them ................but... I start to buy thm again either on ebay or at antique shops and once again I am collecting.  I am definitly not a high end marble collector mainly because they cost to much and very hard to get.  ,................Jay


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## downeastdigger (Jun 6, 2010)

Great Thread !  Count me in on wanting a "marble catagory".   It might be a slow moving catagory, but I'd love to see posts, especially when we have some really knowledgable marble guys on here, obviously.

 Here's a pic I just happened to have posted a few days ago on a different post.  I think they are some of my best dug ones.

 Anyone interested in appraising my collection.  Like maybe I send you my marbles, plus 20 bucks, plus postage, and you sort them out a bit, and label them?   pm   me if interested


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## downeastdigger (Jun 6, 2010)

oops here's the pic


 I do think it would be a great catagory, because ALL diggers come across marbles, and most of us have a lot to learn about them, so count me as a yes


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## Digswithstick (Jun 6, 2010)

Great Akro's JS ,the Oxes and the Popeyes sure stand out ! Bram ,no picture , half the fun of ids is in figuring them out ,most ids can be made be from just pictures .Pics need to be taken of north and south poles (top and bottom) and any visible seams for ids.Pic of Christensen Agate Company  or CAC light blue slag .Not a good pic but shows angles needed for ids .


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## Digswithstick (Jun 6, 2010)

Peltier Zebra ,this pictures shows poles and seams pretty good for id purposes


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## pyshodoodle (Jun 6, 2010)

I just found this video on how they make marbles today.... machine & handmade. Pretty cool![]
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0D-i_oKvKQ


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## Road Dog (Jun 6, 2010)

Christensen Slags showin seams. They can have 1 or 2 seams.


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## Road Dog (Jun 6, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  jskirk
> 
> Here is the best of what I have in Akros at this time, They are all mint and probably the middle of the road in Akros as far as value, I have collected for awhile but I have sold off quite afew collections when I want to go an vacation, I know I have sold better than I have right now,but they seem to sell easier when I need a little extra money. I always say that I am done with Marbles after I sell them ................but... I start to buy thm again either on ebay or at antique shops and once again I am collecting.  I am definitly not a high end marble collector mainly because they cost to much and very hard to get.  ,................Jay


 Nice lookin batch of Akros. The more wraps a marble has adds to its value as well.


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## Staunton Dan (Jun 6, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Digswithstick
> 
> What size is the handmade (second pic)Â ? ItÂ looks mintÂ . Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â


 
 I can't seem to put my hands on it right now but it was probably around 3/4" or so if I remember. This is the way most of the hand made swirls come out of the ground. They might liik good at first, but when they hit the air, they start cracking. This would have been a good one in that it was 1" in diameter.


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## Staunton Dan (Jun 6, 2010)

This is the neatest hand made swirl that I have. What makes it so apealing is its size. It is 1-7/8" in diameter and has just a few nicks in it. Obviously, it didn't come from the ground. I bought it at an antique show for $35. I think that the guy was sleeping a bit when he priced it to me. I couldn't pass it up.


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## bostaurus (Jun 7, 2010)

I remembered I had a tin of marbles somewhere..They are my husband's.  He always called them Honey's Marbles.  Honey was his grandmother.  Some of these are from her, I imagine some from my father-in-law and some from my husband.  
 Now that you posted that website I will have to try and figure out which are which.


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## bostaurus (Jun 7, 2010)

I stirred them up and took another picture.  there are a couple in there that are very tiny.


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## idigjars (Jun 8, 2010)

My best Akro popeye.  Multi colored.  Paul


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## glass man (Jun 9, 2010)

GREAT THREAD! I SOLD ALL MY HAND MADE AND CHINA MARBLES AT THE LAST BOTTLE SHOW I WENT TOO. EXCEPT ON CHINA GIVEN TO ME BY A FRIEND THAT HE DUK IN BROOKLYN IN A 1830S-40S PRIVY. I HAVE TWO LARGE PLASTIC CONTAINERS OF MACHINE MADE MARBLES,MANY COMING FROM NINA'E UNCLES COLLECTION.HE WAS BORN IN 1943,PLUS HE MAY HAVE HAD SOME OF HIS OLDER BRO. MARBLES.THE BROTHER WAS BORN IN THE 20S. LIKE IT HAS BEEN SAID IT IS SO HARD TO TELL ONE FROM ANOTHER! WOULD SELL THEM ALL IF ANY BODY IS INTERESTED.  JAMIE


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## glass man (Jun 9, 2010)

PS...I FIND MARBLES IN A LOT OF PLACESW! WHEN I SEE A REALLY OLD OAK TREE I LOOK AROUND THERE CAUSE BOYS PLAYED A LOT OF MARBLES IN THE SUMMERS ROUND HERE AND PLAYED IN THE SHADE.


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## Digswithstick (Jun 9, 2010)

Sweet Popeye Paul!                                                                              Jamie take a picture of your marbles ,i buy them but i am cheap bidder ,bet some one will buy them . There are machine mades worth 3 figures ,not many but they are out there   ,Marble King Watermelon ,some multi colored Popeyes ,CAC flames ,striped opaques ,to name a few .


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## bostaurus (Jun 9, 2010)

Oh fie, and curses upon the marble people!  It used to be just a box of pretty spheres from grandma.  Now I am spending way too much time taking each one out and trying to figure out who made it.  It is a conspiracy to keep me from focusing on my bottle collecting..and vet corps stuff...and antique books...and..
 Never mind..


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## Road Dog (Jun 9, 2010)

Here are 3 Popeyes I sold about 4 years ago. They were as nice as when they were made and 11/16". The Hybrid on the left went for $450.


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## Digswithstick (Jun 9, 2010)

Bostaurus ,they still are a box of pretty spheres from Grandma ,with a lot more mystery to them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .Road Dog ,those sure were nice ones ! I only have 1 Popeye and it is one of the most common ones i think ,but i still like it .


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## bostaurus (Jun 9, 2010)

I think I will start wearing my aluminum hat and latex gloves when I read the marble posts then I might be immune from the effects of marble collecting.  
 Those are really pretty marbles everyone has been posting.  I never really took time to look at them so closely....ah!  Where is my hat!


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## Road Dog (Jun 9, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  bostaurus
> 
> I think I will start wearing my aluminum hat and latex gloves when I read the marble posts then I might be immune from the effects of marble collecting.
> Those are really pretty marbles everyone has been posting.  I never really took time to look at them so closely....ah!  Where is my hat!


 
 Resistance is Futile.[]


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## Road Dog (Jun 9, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Digswithstick
> 
> Bostaurus ,they still are a box of pretty spheres from Grandma ,with a lot more mystery to them
> 
> ...


 
 That one looks in great condition.


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## glass man (Jun 10, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Digswithstick
> 
> Sweet Popeye Paul!Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Jamie take a picture of your marbles ,i buy them but i am cheap bidder ,bet some one will buy them . There are machine mades worth 3 figures ,not many butÂ they are out there Â Â ,Marble King Watermelon ,some multi coloredÂ Popeyes ,CAC flames ,striped opaques ,to name a few .


 

 YEP GONNA TAKE PICTURES OF THEM! I WAS TOLD MY HANDMADE MARBLES WERE WORTH LITTLE. I PUT THEM OUT AT THE LAST BOTTLE SHOW FOR $5 A PIECE.MAN FOR THEM TO BE WORTH NOTHING I SURE SOLD THEM MIGHTY FAST!!!DANG NOW I MISS EM.COURSE I GAVE $3 A PIECE FOR THEM SO...BUT THEY SURE WERE PERDY!!THE MEDIUM ONES DID HAVE A LOT OF NICKS ON THEM AND SOME LOOKED MORE IN THE SHAPE OF FOOTBALLS INSTEAD OF MARBLES! NO WAY THEY COULD HAVE BEEN PLAYED WITH! DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WERE NOT THROWN AWAY WHEN MADE.MAYBE THE POOR PERSON THAT MADE THEM KEPT THEM TO GIVE TO HIS/HER KIDS. YEAH I WANT TO SELL WHAT I HAVE,BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I GOT A BIG MONEY MARBLE! THAT IS ALL I ASK! JAMIE


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## glass man (Jun 10, 2010)

I DO HAVE SOME MIGHTY PRETTY MACHINE MADE ONES,BUT DON'T KNOW A POPEYE FROM A BRUTIS ONE,THOUGH I HAVE TRIED TO LEARN FROM THE ROBERT BLOCK BOOK I GOT AND ALL I GET FROM TRYING TO LEARN BOUT THEM IS A HEADACHE!!I SHORE CAN USED SOME BUCKS RIGHT NOW LIKE MOST! HOPE I GOTA THREE FIGURE ONE,TWO,THREE,OR FORTY,BUT AS A REALIST I JUST HOPE SOMEBODY WILL BUY EM! I LOVE EM BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO SELLING MARBLES AND BOTTLES WELL.....YOU KNOW! JAMIE


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## idigjars (Jun 10, 2010)

Nice pics all.  Jamie if you list your marbles let us know.  Road Dog!!  OMG, those are unbelievable.   Thanks all for sharing pics.  Good luck finding or acquiring items for your collections.  Paul


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## #1twin (Jun 11, 2010)

Here are some of the marbles I have found over the years. Any good ones in here?  Thanks for starting this thread.   Marvin

 Sorry the flash kind of hides the clear ones[&:]


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## #1twin (Jun 11, 2010)

More marbles.  The clays and Bennington's (next photo) are hard to see due to the flash. A photographer I am not[]  Marvin


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## #1twin (Jun 11, 2010)

Clays & Bennington"s.


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## #1twin (Jun 11, 2010)

Sorry but I could not live with that terrible photo. This is a lot better[] Marvin


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## idigjars (Jun 11, 2010)

Hello, can somebody post a nice clear pic of a marble king watermelon for us to see?  thank you.  Paul


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## Wangan (Jun 11, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  jskirk


 
 On the far right,second row down,Orange and Black,my school colors!I like that better than the Yellow and Black (bumblebees?) that were always my favorite.You all have beautiful marbles.I recently found some solid colored ones in a "new" dump,but I think they went to a Chinese Checker game.Whats the news on the marble thread?


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## Road Dog (Jun 11, 2010)

Marvin, circled a few I'd like to see closer.


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## Road Dog (Jun 11, 2010)

Some more. You have alot of diff makes there. Marble King, Akro, Peltier and some swirls. Don't overlook your Catseyes. Some folks are really into the Hybrids and aventurine, number of vanes etc.


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## ncbred (Jun 11, 2010)

Few I've found in fields and under houses.


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## glass man (Jun 12, 2010)

GONNA POST OVER 100 OF MY MARBLES TOMMOROW SOMETIME.THESE ARE ONES WITH NO CHIPS PINGSANY THING ETC.GOT EM NUMBERED SO IF SOME ONE WANTS A MORE CLOSE UP CAN DO. I HAVE 279 IN ALL.SOME NOT PICTURED HAVE SOME LIGHT CHIPS ETC,BUT NOT MANY.MOST I THINK OF THE ONES NOT NUMBERED ARE COMMON.I WANT TO SELL ALL! I DON'T EXPECT TOP PRICE,JUST A FAIR DEAL AND HOPE YALL CAN TELL ME IF ANY ARE $20-UP HOPEFULLY EVEN$100! I CAN DREAM! THEY ARE VERY COLORFUL AND I KNOW EYE APPEAL MEANS SOMETHING. I KNOW SOME ARE POPEYES AND OLIVE OLYS,BUT I GET CONFUSED.I GOT A ROBERT BLOCK BOOK BUT DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD IT IS.I WAS ON A MARBLE FORUM BEFORE I CAME HERE AND GOT REAL CONFUSED...EVERY THING WAS A "SWIRL" EVERY THING! WELL YALL PLEASE HELP ME AS I CAN USED THE MONEY AND HOPE SOME ONE NEEDS THE MARBLES! THANK YALL! I STILL THING THE HAND MADE ONES ARE THE PRETTIESTBUT WHAT DO I KNOW.MAN I THOUGH MARBLES WERE LIKE BOTTLES THE CRUDER THE BETTER.I HAD SOME THAT LOOKED MORE LIKE GLASS FOOT BALLS THEN MARBLES AND THOUGHT THEY WERE RERALLY WORTH MORE! DON'T WORK THAT WAY IN MARBLE LAND THE MORE ROUND THE BETTER!  YEP WANT TO SELL ALL 279. JAMIE


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## jskirk (Jun 13, 2010)

here are some peltier NLR ....Jay


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

Road Dog,   I pulled out my marbles and tried to get better shots, including the ones you ask about hopefully. I really suck at camera work though[8D] Hope you see everything you ask for in this series of photos. I tried to break them down into some kind of categories like patches, baseballs, beachballs, cateyes, etc. Any information on the good ones would be appreciated. As I am no marble guru by any means[]. Thank you,  Marvin


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

picture #2


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

picture #3


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

picture #4


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

picture #5


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

picture #6 I think there is a moonie in here?


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

#7 Are any of these considered a superman?


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

#8


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

#9 SORRY MY COMPUTER CRASHED AND I SENT THIS ONE TWICE..... ALSO LOST A MARBLE PICTURE SOMEWHERE..........MAN YOU TALK ABOUT BAD CARMA TODAY[&:]


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

NEXT ONE The one with the green stripe has another stripe just like that on the top side that is reddish. Hope you enjoyed the shots.
 Marvin


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

One last question........how can the red and blue CLAY marble have been made in my "clay's" picture?    Thank's, Marvin


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## Road Dog (Jun 13, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  #1twin
> 
> picture #6 I think there is a moonie in here?


 Nope


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## Road Dog (Jun 13, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  #1twin
> 
> One last question........how can the red and blue CLAY marble have been made in my "clay's" picture?Â Â Â  Thank's, Marvin


 Looks like a swirl that has gotten frosted.


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## Road Dog (Jun 13, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  #1twin
> 
> NEXT ONE The one with the green stripe has another stripe just like that on the top side that is reddish. Hope you enjoyed the shots.
> Marvin


 Looks like could be an Imperial. Have to se a pole pic  showing both.


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## Road Dog (Jun 13, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  #1twin
> 
> #7 Are any of these considered a superman?


 Nope


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## Road Dog (Jun 13, 2010)

Circled on is decent. Akro Lemonade with a nice cork.


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## #1twin (Jun 13, 2010)

Thank you for the replies.     Marvin


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## Staunton Dan (Jun 15, 2010)

What's happened to the marble category? Are we getting one on this forum? I was wondering how long that it might take and how many people needed to be for it in order for it to become a reality. Sounds like there is a lot of interest.


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## Staunton Dan (Jun 17, 2010)

Bump!





> What's happened to the marble category? Are we getting one on this forum? I was wondering how long that it might take and how many people needed to be for it in order for it to become a reality. Sounds like there is a lot of interest.


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