Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Era
Identify antique and vintage handmade marbles. These often have an unpolished pontil mark on each end. A pontil mark is the rough edge where the marble was broken off the rod during handmade manufacture.
A design can go from end to end in lines or swirls. Some of these marbles are not quite round. Many swirls were German imports of the 1920s and 1930s. These are collectible marbles if they're in good condition, but many have serious damage.
Look for vintage and collectible American machine-made marbles. These marbles have no pontil marks and are nearly perfectly round. Some manufacturers made an identifiable style. For example, Akro Agate made corkscrews and Popeyes, a form of corkscrew with a wispy area around the swirl.
M.F. Christensen made a color of blue, often referred to as Persian turquoise or Persian blue that may distinguish a blue marble. Christensen marbles often have a distinct line between colors, and the number nines are almost always M.F. Christensen. These marbles have a swirl with a fold that gives the appearance of the number 9. Christensen Agate was a later company that made the blue moon, the peach slag and electric slags. Electric slag marbles were brighter colors than most companies could make.
Recognize newer marbles. Jabo is an American company that made marbles through the 1980s. Marble King made marbles in the U.S. through 2003. Vacor de Mexico imports beautiful new marbles, but these plentiful new marbles are not collectible at the time of publication.
Many newer marbles feel "greasy" to the touch and are shinier than the older glass marbles. Some new marbles have tiny bubbles in the glass when held to the light.
Search for modern art glass marbles. New art glass marbles individually produced by glass artisans are collectible. Some are identifiable by initials on the pontil and others are identifiable by the style. Find new art glass marbles at marble and collectibles shows, and ask about the makers.
Obtain information about new artisans who are currently producing marbles while the information is readily available.
Styles
Sort marbles by corkscrews. A corkscrew has a swirl going from the top, making a complete circle around the marble, top to bottom. The marble machine used and the hot glass process causes the corkscrew distribution in the molten glass. Compare corkscrews with known examples of Akro Agate and companies that have produced corkscrew marbles to identify the maker.
Pick out the cat's eyes. Almost every jar of marbles has more cat's eyes than any other type. These were marbles from Japan and caught the attention of 1950s and 1960s boys and girls. The nine-vane cat's eyes are collectible. Master Glass made American cat's eye marbles in direct competition with the Japanese imports.
Sort the electric or neon marbles with a black light. These marbles are often older American-made marbles that glow under the black light and have identifiers that place the marbles as a particular company's output.
Select the flames. Flames are marbles with parallel lines shaped like flames or lightning. These are collectible and many are American-made. Compare with known Christensen Agate flames for special collectability.
Look for the unusual. If you look at enough marbles, you will soon recognize the ones that do not look familiar. These may be scarce marbles worth further time spent on identification. Sort by color, with special attention to oxblood or deep red-brown colors. These marble colors tend to be more valuable than others.