Kinds of Glass Marbles

Marbles are small round toys that have been used in games for thousands of years and have become collector's items in recent decades. Even though marbles can be made from stone, plastic or virtually any hard substance, glass marbles are highly prized collectibles.

History

Glass marbles can be traced to Germany in the mid-1800s. In 1902, Martin F. Christensen of Ohio developed a method to mass produce glass marbles, and he later founded the M.F. Christensen and Son Company, which produced marbles until 1917.

Swirls and Spirals

The most common type of marble is clear glass with a swirl or spiral suspended in the center. These marbles are easily and economically mass produced.

Onion Skins

Onion-skin marbles are highly collectible because of their beauty and rarity. These hand-made glass marbles have strands of multicolored opaque or translucent glass running through them.

Mica Marbles

Much like the swirled marbles, mica marbles are primarily clear glass. These marbles have chips of mica suspended in them for a glittery appearance.

German Sulfide Marbles

German sulfide marbles were produced in the late 19th century and feature small figures of animals or people suspended in glass. Early collectors believed the figures were made of sulfide, but they are really porcelain.

References

• Glass Marbles
• Art Glass 2
• Ohio History