How can you tell vintage marbles?
Hold the marbles up to the light and look for subtle flaws or marks that indicate the age. Older marbles will have certain bubbles or flaws caused by the glass-blowing process. Compare the colors of one type of marble to another.
Why are old marbles cheaper than new marbles?
While modern marbles are also used for playing, the glass used is not as high quality as the old ones so they could easily break. They are cheaper and produced in mass volumes so they can be replaced easily even when chipped or damaged. 5. Consider the Seller If the person selling the marbles is old, they are more likely to be old too.
How can you tell if a marble is a vintage marble?
Check Their Appearance Vintage marbles are typically more attractive and brighter than modern ones because they were individually made, compared to the new ones that were made in high quantities. This may be a little challenging for new collectors, but experienced collectors would be able to tell the difference.
When was the first piece of marble made?
No one knows exactly when the first marbles were invented, but they date back to the times of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks , and Romans who played with marbles made of stone, clay, or polished nuts. Affordable glass marbles were first made in the 19th century when a special pair of scissors…
What kind of marbles are used in antique homes?
A guidebook for collectors, like Marble Collectors Handbook by Robert S. Block. Almost all antique marbles were handmade; therefore, they wouldn’t be as perfect as today’s machine-made ones. Clay marbles: They were usually cheap, as they were made from local clay―white clay called kaolin. They were not perfect in shape.
What kind of marbles are vintage and antique?
Vintage and Antique Marbles. Antique glass marbles are highly collectible, from handmade examples by German glassmakers of the 1800s to vintage marbles made by machine in the early 20th century by U.S. companies like Christensen, Peltier Glass, Akro Agate, and Vitro Agate.
What to look for when buying a marble?
Note that unscrupulous dealers have been known to reproduce marbles and sell them as old or antique. Judith Miller in Buy, Keep or Sell? suggests looking for solitaire boards, avoiding marbles such as Cat’s Eyes that were mass-produced after the 1960s, and look for the original packaging.
How are vintage marbles made in West Virginia?
Soon, competing marble manufacturers like Vitro Agate Company opened nearby in West Virginia. These vintage marbles were made by filling up machine tanks with different colors of molten glass, and then the machines would pump out thousands of marbles a day using the same color combinations—although no two looked exactly alike.
Who are the collectors of Old Mint marbles?
Once they landed into the hands of the children, the prettiest ones were the ones that got the most attention and most play action. It’s amazing that any mint examples of the beautiful and rare types have survived! OldRareMarbles.com is owned and operated by Jeff & Tammy Baker of Salem, Oregon (high-end marble collectors for over 35 years).
