Marbles strike a chord, not only for their vivid swirling colors, but also because they are so evocative of childhood.  These multicolored glass toys produced from the mid 19th century onward are avidly sought after.

The most desirable marbles are handmade, mostly Germany from around 1850 until c. 1914.  Made from brightly color glass rods that created swirling patterns of color, they can be indentified by a slightly rough area called a ponytil mark where the marble was removed from the rod.There are many different types of marbles, all with descriptive names such as swirls, onionskins, or corkscrews.

Collectors look for marbles with complex patterns.  Symmetrical patterns increase a marbles's value and large marbles camman a premium.  Sulphides are also highly sought after.  These clear marbles contain a white figure, human, or animal, and can fetch from $120 to more than $3000.  Just go to the marbles section of ebay and click on view highest to lowest and you will be astonished to what you see!  I promise!

World Ware I cut off supplies of marbles to North America and this stimulated the machine production of glass marbles in the US.  Machine made marbles can usually be distinguished from handmade ones becasue they do not have a pontil mark.  The have become popular because of the increasing scarcity and expense of handmade marbles.  Nostalgia also playes a role, since many of today's collectors played with machine made marbles when they were young.

Look for marbles by the Akro Agate Co, M.F. Christensen & Son, and the Peltier Glass Co.  Values vary enormously, ranging from $2-8 for an Akro Agate Co.  Slag marble to more than $300 for a Christensen Guinea.  It is also worth looking at the innovative work of today's marble makers;  these marbles have become increasingly popular since the 1990's, with brisk trading via the internet.