# Flame worked marbles (commissioned)



## Bob in SF (Apr 30, 2016)

Proud grandparents disapproving of their grandchildren's obsession with digital media commissioned this set of flame worked borosilicate glass marbles to teach their young about making eye (and hand and marble) contact while playing "unplugged":






More about the marbles in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJy23-bHNkY

Happy Saturday - Bob


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## stonepecker (Apr 30, 2016)

I remember playing with marbles.  Back in the 60's the local 5and ten's would have bags for 50 cents.  Alays had a few new 'shooters' in the bag.

Thanks for the memories.


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## corgicoupe (Apr 30, 2016)

Hah! For me it was the late '40s & early '50s. Beautiful marbles!


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## ElMostro (Apr 30, 2016)

I remember those "slower" days; miss them.


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## Displaced Canadian (Apr 30, 2016)

That's just awesome.


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## Bob in SF (Apr 30, 2016)

Heartfelt thanks!

Those were indeed the days (mostly 1950's for me) - played outside till dark - and then some.

Best regards to all.


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## corgicoupe (Apr 30, 2016)

I often quote the title of a book that harkens back to those days: "Where did you  go? Out. What did you do? Nothing." I fear that youngsters are missing something today.


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## mark james (Apr 30, 2016)

Quite simply Bob...  "Nice!"  I enjoy your posts!


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## TellicoTurning (Apr 30, 2016)

corgicoupe said:


> Hah! For me it was the late '40s & early '50s. Beautiful marbles!



Third and Fourth grade I always went to school with a pocketful of marbles... recess there was always a hot game of keeps  --  until the school stopped our "Gambling".... 

Boys played marbles ( or sometimes mumbly-peg -- we were allowed to carry knives to school back in those days).... and girls played jacks or jump rope.


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## Jim Smith (Apr 30, 2016)

I was actually pretty good at marbles and played it for keeps at recess.  Those big ones were always prized and we called them Aggies.  That was back in the mid to late 50s.

Jim Smith


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## magpens (Apr 30, 2016)

Early 50s for me .... I still have my marbles, too, I'd like to say !!! . They are in a big drawstring bag my mom made for them ... There must be 300 or so!! . I should give them to my grandkids before they get any older !!!

Thanks Bob !!! . A lot of us seem to have memories that include marbles !!


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## TimS124 (May 1, 2016)

I played a bit during 5th grade (about 69-70).  Never really felt like I knew what I was doing or that anybody else around me did either! 

As for worrying about kids today, they'll be fine.  I was a Scout leader as my son was growing up and he had a reasonably big troop (30+ scouts) with plenty of others in the area.  When he headed off to college, despite being at least as big a computer geek as me, he went hiking, camping, caving, etc.  Plenty of his classmates did as well.

My wife was a long-time Girl Scout leader as well...plenty of young ladies still coming up that way.

I mentored with a local robotics team for several years...plenty of the members of the team rode their bikes to school, were also on various sports teams, etc etc...


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## Bob in SF (May 1, 2016)

Great comments, memories, and sentiments - good-hearted forum!


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## Charlie_W (May 1, 2016)

Bob,  Truly beautiful marbles! Knowing that they were handmade makes them even nicer!
I enjoyed the video and now want to watch 20 more marble making videos! 

Should I ever need a glass eye, I know where to come:biggrin: The one in the center which looks like earth from space is my first choice!

Thanks for posting these!


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## Bob in SF (May 1, 2016)

Charlie_W said:


> Bob,  Truly beautiful marbles! Knowing that they were handmade makes them even nicer!
> I enjoyed the video and now want to watch 20 more marble making videos!
> 
> Should I ever need a glass eye, I know where to come:biggrin: The one in the center which looks like earth from space is my first choice!
> ...



Thanks, Charlie!

Closest I've gotten to eyes was this little commission for stuffed animal eyes - but may go human some day:wink:.


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## firewhatfire (May 2, 2016)

So are they still $0.50 a bag?  If so I will take 10 bags.


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## Bob in SF (May 2, 2016)

Phil - here's an ad from 1955 - 21,000 9/16" marbles for $21.00 - 




I can't beat Roy Torr's pricing.
Jump into your time machine:biggrin:


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## firewhatfire (May 2, 2016)

I will take price matching. I ain't greedy.  So what would a bag cost for real?




Bob in SF said:


> Phil - here's an ad from 1955 - 21,000 9/16" marbles for $21.00 -
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## MrPukaShell (May 2, 2016)

I would like to know too, thanks


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## Bob in SF (May 4, 2016)

Phil and Robert - $500.00 for the whole set of marbles - when I took the commission I'd just sold off my O2/Propane tank/torch/annealing kiln setup - so the $500.00 had to cover borosilicate glass (including rather expensive dichroic glass), studio membership, separate torch/gas/annealing kiln rental, 20 hours of my flame working time - not to mention the back-and-forth travel time.  You get the picture.
Great fun and good will, but no significant profit with the marble set.

I did, however, make this single separately commissioned marble at the same time for the same price - challenge was to implode a cherry blossom form into a clear marble - glorious fun - techniques humbly learned from master glass artist Jeff Rogers.  The commission subsequently "blossomed" into a glass "garden" for the same family:




Best regards, Bob


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## firewhatfire (May 4, 2016)

That cherry blossom is amazing. The others are not slouches either.  Always liked the swirl in marbles.  Maybe I need to learn a new skill.  

14 marbles for $500 is to rich for my shallow pockets. 

Thanks for sharing your artistry 




Bob in SF said:


> Phil and Robert - $500.00 for the whole set of marbles - when I took the commission I'd just sold off my O2/Propane tank/torch/annealing kiln setup - so the $500.00 had to cover borosilicate glass (including rather expensive dichroic glass), studio membership, separate torch/gas/annealing kiln rental, 20 hours of my flame working time - not to mention the back-and-forth travel time.  You get the picture.
> Great fun and good will, but no significant profit with the marble set.
> 
> I did, however, make this single separately commissioned marble at the same time for the same price - challenge was to implode a cherry blossom form into a clear marble - glorious fun - techniques humbly learned from master glass artist Jeff Rogers.  The commission subsequently "blossomed" into a glass "garden" for the same family:
> ...


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## nava1uni (May 4, 2016)

Beautiful marbles.  I played marbles all the time and did quite well winning them during games with the kids on my block.  I still love marbles and always buy them when I find old ones at estate sales etc.  Your work is quit stunning.  Would love to see your set up.


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## Bob in SF (May 4, 2016)

Thanks for kind comments, Phil - flame working is extraordinary fun, and a worthy skill - but production costs of one-of-a-kind borosilicate glass pieces are substantially greater than most other arts/crafts that I've done - except maybe gem and precious metal work.

Warm regards, Bob


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## Bob in SF (May 4, 2016)

Many thanks, Cindy, for kinds words and memories!

My (SF Public Glass) studio membership has lapsed, so I'm not currently set up for glass - but as you may know, SFPG has some amazing teaching and work in progress.

Best regards, Bob


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