Sorting a Jar of Vintage Marbles

Sit down and sort a jar of vintage machine-made mibs with me! This specific jar was full of Akros, Peltiers, Masters, Vitros, and some West Virginian Swirls!
Have a question? I'm happy to answer it in the comments!
MARBLE RESOURCES:
Stephen Bahr KZbin Channel - / @stephenbahrtube
Marble Collecting Society of America - www.marblecollecting.com/marb...
Marble Alan's Guide - buymarbles.com/marblealanhome...
Robert Block Books - www.marblecollecting.com/marb...
Marble Show Calendar - www.marblecollecting.com/marb...
Music sourced from Epidemic Sound.
Track 1: Liljeholmsviken - Vendla www.epidemicsound.com/track/m...
Track 2: A Little House in Smalltown - Arthur Benson www.epidemicsound.com/track/Z...
Track 3: Self-Reflection - Claude Signet www.epidemicsound.com/track/Z...
Track 4: Golden Thoughts - Megan Wofford www.epidemicsound.com/track/1...
Track 5: From the Ashes of a Previous Life - Lama House www.epidemicsound.com/track/1...
Track 6: Need It - Duckmaw www.epidemicsound.com/track/g...
Track 7: Sugar High - Flyin www.epidemicsound.com/track/i...
Track 8: Papa Funk - Spring Gang www.epidemicsound.com/track/R...
Track 9: Kid on the Move - El Flaco Collective www.epidemicsound.com/track/h...
Track 10: DORAGON BIPAPPU - Sugoi www.epidemicsound.com/track/M...

[@sjberden]

I became a collector today. Just ordered a few books this afternoon. I found some old marbles my Mom bought my Dad, he never did anything with them. I've always enjoyed looking at them, so she gave them to me.

[@metamibs]

Thank you for sharing! Which books did you order? I'm just curious, they're all great! I enjoy collecting them just as much as the marbles themselves 🤓

[@Lisa-welder1]

​@@metamibs what books do you recommend? I just bought a jar of marbles for $10. I think I have some good ones! Going back to buy the other 3 jars! 😮

[@randyburks7482]

Thanks for producing this video. Your approach is very informative and helpful. It is helping me to better identify the marbles that I have and enjoy the process. Please make more of these videos! Best wishes

[@dozerrrrr]

Loved the music! These are so much fun to watch!

[@cookiemonster2308]

Great for us new collectors. Thank you 😊

[@metamibs]

So glad to hear it! I plan on uploading a new sorting video tomorrow :)

[@terriyoung2389]

I’m glad I found your channel. I’m settling my daughters estate and she collected everything. I found a shoebox of marbles that looked special but I wasn’t sure what to do with them. This helps a bit.

[@metamibs]

Thank you for your comment Terri, saddened to read what brought you to my video but happy that I can help! If you're interested in sharing pictures for other collectors to inspect and possibly drool over, check out the Marble Connection forum or the marbles subreddit. You may also contact Block's Marble Auctions for a reputable appraisal/consignment. Regardless what they turn out to be, all marbles are special! (In my opinion)

[@annetomer2218]

Thanks for doing this. It’s been very helpful.

[@ericbond5276]

I feel you on 27:50. I am newer than you. I'll group them by similarities.

[@johnwright3306]

I'm pretty sure that the marble with the white poles and the two red patches is a very nice vitro whitey

[@themama3633]

I really love how you do your videos.

[@micheldekam3491]

As a European collector i am just learning about U.S. marbles and manufacturers. Very informative. Thanks and cheers from Holland.

[@metamibs]

Woah, so neat! I had never envisioned my videos crossing the sea, but I guess that's the beauty of the internet/KZbin. Although I have a very meager collection of European handmades, I do admire their beauty and the original artists' innovation! It's not surprising their styles, themes, and elements are still imitated and practiced today. I actually recently met a veteran marble-maker who researched the onion-skin method in the 1980s and helped revitalize the style here in America. Thanks for the comment, Cheers!

[@ericbond5276]

I like how you show the companies and brief history!! I just got started buying and bidding on inexpensive marbles. I also bought Blocks and Maxwells books. Haven't got the books yet nor my first marble. I did buy from Michaels Craft store a storage compartment plastic box.

[@metamibs]

Thank you! This was my first time creating video graphics in over a decade, and my experience even back then was very limited. I hope that my future videos contain both improved graphics and more information! Those books are wonderful resources and will surely aid in your identification efforts! The plastic storage boxes for jewelry and beads, which is what I envision you've purchased, is great for organizing a marble collection - I use the same. You may also consider cutting pieces of cloth or foam to insert in each compartment for the purpose of reducing rattle to avoid scratching. While not required, it is nice peace-of-mind for the more premier specimens. Have fun sorting!

[@ericbond5276]

@@metamibs You were up late and I went to bed early. I'm up at 3 am. I just got into marbles 4 days ago. You would think I would wait to get the books first. I did buy a bunch of marbles but didn't chase the expensive one's.

[@Tokintopher444]

The green and the purple pelt slags were beautiful

[@metamibs]

I agree, the feathering of pelt slags is sooooo nice! Probably my favorite slags - aqua color at the top.

[@steveslate2677]

I just inherited an old marble collection. Big one. This video is the perfect place to start. Thankyou you for making this video. Very appreciative.

[@metamibs]

You may very well also inherit the desire to grow that collection if you continue to dig into this wonderful hobby I'm glad my videos could be of assistance! I would be remiss if I didn't mention Stephen Bahr's (much better) KZbin videos and Robert Block's books for the most organized information available. Block's auction house is also the longest running marble-related consigner should you find the collection is worth a considerable amount and would like to sell.

[@Buddystemz]

That snake at 7 mins is really nice

[@metamibs]

I knew which one you were referring to before even checking the time-stamp, Big Agree! The blue only being on the exterior, with the crystal clear base, *chefs kiss*. Truly reminiscent of a soft-bellied slitherer. Would love to find other 2-tone snakes with the same make-up but different colors.

[@Buddystemz]

@@metamibs I have a few multi color snakes but they’re usually side by side. I do have a cool snake lookin popeye built similar to this but it is red/green with white on the backside. Lots of clear and built like a snake but confirmed popeye by a few reputable collectors. Is it light green on the backside of your snake? Hard to quite tell in the video.

[@dorianjaypaat6239]

🎉

[@dennismarella4858]

Your doing a great service for a new be like me. 👍

[@THEBULK1023]

I feel like I'm getting ready to take off in an airplane in the flight attendant is telling me our destination

[@metamibs]

Haha *chissshck* "Th's y'r c'ptain sp'k'n, we'v reach'd 'ptimal m'ble s'rtin' 'ltitude 'nd sh'd b' labelin' sw'rls in n' time, ov'r." *chissshck* Luckily I have since upgraded my mic, but haven't found another jar worth recording

[@shaneapplegate1975]

Where did you go? Get back on the Tube. We miss your shows. Hopping all is well ✌️

[@zeelowsguys]

Just one a lot on trade me, some interesting stuff in there. Was the only bidder $36 got to be at least 100

[@themama3633]

Are there any clear color marbles that are worth saving like the others?

[@CoinandRelicOntario]

Thanks for sharing you're mibs. I've recently began digging 30-50's trash dumps in my area and I tell you, I find a lot of vintage mibs. I'm still learning the seams, colors and styles after 3 years. The WV swirls can be difficult to ID. Ravenswood and Alley are my favorite though. Whats yours?

[@metamibs]

Very cool! There are plenty of privvy diggers in my neck of the woods, however I've never gotten to dig anything worthwhile myself. As you probably know, it gets rather territorial and the low-hanging fruit is long gone. WV Swirls can be some absolute head-ringers! My favorite from those Appalachian hills is probably Master, very underrated IMO. Although they don't have the most robust catalogue, they can be incredibly unique and something about their fine striations just tickles me. My favorite machine-made producer overall though, has to go to Peltier and they continue to increase the gap. The colors they produced matched with the bold patterns are just absolutely stunning and sometimes quite literally jaw-dropping. They're also a great "chase" IMO, exceedingly rare but still possible to find in the wild - unlike the CAC dazzlers which I've stopped holding my breath for.

[@zeelowsguys]

Can you recommend any reference books etc?

[@justinberry3991]

I'm below novice. I couldn't tell you the difference between a Bennington swirl and a Alley onionskin

[@johnengland8619]

I found some Facebook groups to also help me identify. Good luck

[@justinberry3991]

I'm banned from Facebook lol

[@Really377]

Amazing video, nice job! Have you gotten into Ravenswood yet?

[@metamibs]

Thank you Cameron 😀 I’ve found a few that I believe are Ravenswood, but not 100%. RW definitely knew how to make some unique and striking swirls! The transparent bases are my favorites because then the swirls can really be seen diving and contorting I’ve been working on bolstering my swirl identification behind the scenes. I hope to make a video showcasing my best swirls with likely identifications in the nearish future

[@barrywainwright3391]

Great mibs but please speak louder

[@metamibs]

Appreciate the feedback Barry! I've since gotten a new mic, but haven't edited a new sorting video. Got my collection's organization tidied up last week, so I should have a new sorting video on the horizon - with improved audio!

[@Fireworxs2012]

*Pelti(AYE)? I think not. Sellers would be the first one to correct you. It's pronounced "Pelti(ER)*