Hobbies And Interests
United States
Akron, Ohio was the center of marble production in the 1890s, where clay and some glass marbles were produced using some of the first mass production techniques. The company responsible for this, The M.F. Christensen &Son Co. and Akro Agate, produced marbles until 1917. Today, two companies in the United States produce marbles. Marble King is located in Paden City, West Virginia, and Jabo Vitro is located in Reno, Ohio.
Germany
The roots of modern marble making were laid down in Germany in 1846, when a glassblower invented marble scissors, which are not a type of shears, but rather a mold used for making marbles. Germany was also the first country to use modern machining methods for producing marbles. Today, many art glass and collector's marbles are produced in Germany. Antique German marbles are difficult to identify without the original packaging because marbles were often sold in bulk bins, as opposed to in packages.
Italy
Traditionally produced Italian marbles are attractive and complicated, using multiple colors in the same marble. One example is the Italian Millifiori marble. This is a larger marble that is produced specifically for the collector marketplace, rather than as a child's toy. Like Germany, Italian marbles today are primarily considered art marbles and collector's pieces.
China
After WWII, one of the industries transplanted to Asia for rebuilding Japan was marbles. Eventually, Japan's marble industry made its way to the mainland. Today, China produces more marbles than any other country in the world. Marbles from China are widely used in decoration as well as in games that use marbles. Another use for marbles that you may not be aware of is notable when you shake a can of spray paint. Chinese marbles are the source of the rattling sound in the spray can, used to mix the paint prior to spraying.