cheese
Silver Member
I did this for the Master marble facebook group I created because there are a lot of newbies on facebook having trouble identifying Masters versus the other patches and I feel like Masters don't get their fair share of the limelight. I attempted to illustrate the traits for each by seam and I thought I'd share it here in hopes that it helps other new collectors to identify their marbles too.
Keep in mind that there are no absolutes in marble collecting, the only "always" in marble collecting is that there are "always" exceptions to the rules! Right now, I'm doing traits for Master, Akro, and Vitro. I don't claim to know it all, this is just what I've observed through over 2 decades of off and on collecting.
First, of course, is the illustration for Master. Forgive my crude drawings, but I think they convey the points I want to make. You see the "U" seam, the "V" seam, and how wide they are in proportion to the marble, and how the lines of color and detail often fade just before they reach the V seam. Click the pics for full size detail. I tried to include a few examples of marbles that might easily be confused for any of the three makers but show the traits clearly enough.
Next is Akro. You can see that both seams are usually much wider with broad curvature like a thumbnail. Usually one is a tad wider then the other. The lines do not fade before terminating at the seams. The seams are crisp.
And lastly for now is Vitro. The seams are often one "U" and one flat or wavy seam, or sometimes a "U" with a flat bottom. The seams are wider than Masters and narrower than Akros. The lines and colors do not fade as they reach their termination at the seams.
Keep in mind that there are no absolutes in marble collecting, the only "always" in marble collecting is that there are "always" exceptions to the rules! Right now, I'm doing traits for Master, Akro, and Vitro. I don't claim to know it all, this is just what I've observed through over 2 decades of off and on collecting.
First, of course, is the illustration for Master. Forgive my crude drawings, but I think they convey the points I want to make. You see the "U" seam, the "V" seam, and how wide they are in proportion to the marble, and how the lines of color and detail often fade just before they reach the V seam. Click the pics for full size detail. I tried to include a few examples of marbles that might easily be confused for any of the three makers but show the traits clearly enough.
Next is Akro. You can see that both seams are usually much wider with broad curvature like a thumbnail. Usually one is a tad wider then the other. The lines do not fade before terminating at the seams. The seams are crisp.
And lastly for now is Vitro. The seams are often one "U" and one flat or wavy seam, or sometimes a "U" with a flat bottom. The seams are wider than Masters and narrower than Akros. The lines and colors do not fade as they reach their termination at the seams.
