What are they?

[stevecrocker]

Anyone

 

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[Marbleguy]

They may be modern uranium marbles..

..artificially aged to look old http://www.blacklightworld.com/Uranium_Marbles.htm

 

[duffytrash]

those look like railroad marbles to me...heres some info on em...
http://www.railroadiana.org/hw/pgMarbles.php

 

[stevecrocker]

Thanks Duffy,I knew someone would know on here.These were dug up back in the 60s by relatives that lived in Milton,W.V. Several of my mothers uncles worked for most of the marble companies from the 20s to the 40s when alot of companies went tits up and the rest re-tooled for making ballbearings.I thought that these ugly marbles might be rejects or something but its always nice to know the correct history and certainly a thrill to learn it...Thanks! , Steve

 

[duffytrash]

ahhhh...those were made in vienna wv by libby owens ford ...they operated there from 1940-to the 70s...they made marbles to remelt to fiberglass for another factory...they transported theirstock via b&o...they often leaked en route...to baltimore......that route is cluttered with em and come up all the time in flea mkts etc....thats kewl you said milton...that let me zero in on l.o.f....those old alley swirls made in that area arte really hot right now...if they got bucketfulls...they got some pretty good money!!!!!