Balls

[bradyboy]

Im excited
This is my first what is it
These were found in NE GA on a roadside fleamarket
Seller said these balls were pulled up from the chatanooga river from a sunken revolitionary british ship
they measure 3/4 Diameter
they have a raised flat ridge that measure 1/4" all the way around
heavy, white and black speckel finish, some have a a crackled finaish
Clearly hand painted but I dont see brush marks
Looks like possible game pieces as there are similar sets.
also see unique designs, one of a kind
Almost looks like marjon but marbles
Brady

 

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[doublet2a]

Those are "Painted Clay China Marbles."
Many fake ones are going around nowadays.
The real ones are over 100 years old.
Hard to say weather they are real or not,
with having them in hand. and looking with a magnifying glass.
The colors look way to brilliant to have been under water for years.
They don't look real to me. But I hope they are.


Tim

 

[aaaaaaa]

Those ones with flowers and stars remind me of something..

Oh no!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Now those are really cool. I hope these are authentic!~


You lost me aaaaa on the flower and stars comment!

 

[BioProfessor]

Pigg Nutz Mike Pigg Nutz

 

[doublet2a]

Pigg Nutz Mike Pigg Nutz

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not those things....Help!!!!!!


Tim

 

[bradyboy]

So are we saying their fake?
Are there any marble experts out there?
My elderly dad is pretty upset when I told him he was scammed
I'm just double checking
Any input would be greatly appreciated
Brady

 

[jeff of pa]

are you sure they are not Bubble Gum Prize Balls ?

When we had a Small store in town,
I used to always Try to Win the Prize Gumball
So I Could get a Big Piece of Candy
from The Candy Case.
They looked alot Like that.

Not sure if they were Actual
Gum Balls or Not.

 

[stefen]

How much did you pay for these balls that you had no idea what they were or were unduly influenced with a scammers sales pitch?

Double pigg nutts

 

[bradyboy]

there are 50 balls in the set, he paid 80 bucks - i have a pic of the set
IM holding my breath, go ahead - give me the bad news
Brady

 

[cheese]

I have collected marbles for years, and these look exactly like the fakes offered with numerous stories behind them recently. Around here, they are often sold at shady or unknowing antique stores as having been dug during renovations for the '96 olympics from an old marble factory site in the middle of Atlanta when construction crews uncovered buried vats of these marbles. Neat story, fake marbles. Sorry, but they're fakes. Some were colored with magic markers. These look like they were too.

Here are some reference links. The marbles are a little ways down the first link.

http://www.rothchildeantiques.com/CivilWarCampRelics.html
http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=8129
http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=5977&pid=53383&mode=threaded&start=

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

bradyboy, Great find! Tell your Dad that he stole those legendary fake marbles! This site that cheese provided http://www.rothchildeantiques.com/CivilWarCampRelics.html
sell for $14 a piece! It also states that some day they will be rarer then hens teeth. So in my book if Dear 'Ole Dad sold them individually at $14 a piece that would be $700. or a very sweet profit. I think you should hold on to them for a while, collect all the fun stories that go with them and wait for the value to increase.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

This was a great ID cheese along with great supporting links! Green check?

 

[Woodland Detectors]

YESSSS!

 

[bradyboy]

Thanks folks for your response
I really appreciate it.
Will they be worth anything in the distance or do we toss them?
Dad Is pretty embarrassed that he was taken
Brady

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thanks folks for your response
I really appreciate it.
Will they be worth anything in the distance or do we toss them?
Dad Is pretty embarrassed that he was taken
Brady

Read CountryGirls post and the post under it.

 

[bradyboy]

where do i find it the post you suggest?
can you send me the link?
Brady

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

where do i find it the post you suggest?
can you send me the link?
Brady

Brady reply #11 Countrygirl has included the link. Scroll down a little.
COUNTRY GIRL
Posts: 4012
WESTERN MASS





Re: Balls
Reply To This Topic #11 Posted Oct 16, 2009, 12:01:12 PM Quote
bradyboy, Great find! Tell your Dad that he stole those legendary fake marbles! This site that cheese provided http://www.rothchildeantiques.com/CivilWarCampRelics.html
sell for $14 a piece! It also states that some day they will be rarer then hens teeth. So in my book if Dear 'Ole Dad sold them individually at $14 a piece that would be $700. or a very sweet profit. I think you should hold on to them for a while, collect all the fun stories that go with them and wait for the value to increase.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[jpitt1970]

10th & 11th posts on this thread, after yours

 

[cheese]

I think the statement "rarer than hen's teeth" is a bit optimistic to put it mildly. They are just trying to make their dollar off the fakes too and want you to buy some (maybe they have a few thousand of them they got duped into buying?).

I copied this from one of the sites I linked to. I think it pretty much solves the mystery. :

If you look at the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps of Atlanta - specifically where the Olympis park was built, you'll see that the Atlanta Water Dept was located within the same parcel of land. The statement above is perfect " HE SAID THEY WERE FOUND AS BACK FILL IN THE BOTTEM OF A OLD WELL SYSTEM" This would explain why there are 100,000's of these floating around. In a drinking water treatment plant it was common to use spheres / marbles as filter media. The two largest producers that I am aware of are the Standard Toy Marble Company and The MA Knight Company - both from Akron. The city of Akron, Ohio still uses such a water filtration system. At the Akron plant, there were 10,000's of old filter bed marbles used as fill and road gravel within the complex. I would bet that there are many old municipal water plants around the country that have 100 year old marbles still in their filter beds. At an old factory site in Akron, there are 10,000's of marbles just like ethe Atlanta examples - there are so many of them that if you kick into the ground, 100's will roll out. You could fill a coffee can in under a minute.