Vintage Glass Marbles Job Lot Selection 250pc Retro Cat Eye Game Shooters Mix
£35.00
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Vintage Glass Marbles Job Lot Selection 250pc Retro Cat Eye Game Shooters Mix
£35.00
Item Overview
- Type: Vintage Glass Marble Collection / Retro Toy Joblot
- Designer: Post-War Master Glassworks Artisans
- Brand: Master Glass, Vitro Agate, and Vacor de Mexico
- Manufacturer: American & European Toy Glass Foundries
- MPN: Cat Eye
- Place of Origin: United States / Mexico / Europe
- Style: Classical Mid-Century Toy Marbles / Traditional Schoolyard Games
- Colour: Multi-Colour Rainbow Assortment (Including Cobalt Blue, Emerald Green, Lemon Yellow, Fiery Orange, Deep Amber, Clear Flint, Frosted Sea-Glass, and Aventurine Flake)
- Design Era: Mid-Century to Retro Period (c. 1955–1975)
- Material: Hand-Gathered Full Lead Glass & Cased Machine-Swirled Art Glass
- Set Includes: Large Comprehensive Bulk Joblot of Approximately 250 Vintage Glass Marbles (Comprising Traditional Swirls, Multi-Vane Cat's Eyes, Clearies, Solid Colour Overlays, and a Speckled Multi-Tone Specimen. Please Note: The display box/sorting tray is for photographic purposes only and is not included in the sale).
- Features: Multi-Vane Internal Ribbons, Embedded Metallic Speckles, Controlled Air Bubbles, Light-Refractive Casing, Polished Spherical Finishes
- Condition: Very Good Vintage Condition (Please see Condition Report for details)
- Size and capacity: Huge estate collection of around 250 pieces; individual marbles range from standard game sizes to slightly larger shooters. Please check image gallery against the underlying grid pattern for visual proportions.
Dating & Historical Context
- Dating: This collection spans the mid-twentieth century through the height of the retro era (c. 1955–1975). The structural styling of the multi-vane internal ribbon designs, the density of the clear cased glass jackets, and the presence of early translucent colour formulations help index this lot to peak post-war schoolyard gaming decades prior to the dominance of standard modern machine production.
- Historical Note: The post-war era witnessed an incredible boom in traditional playground games across the UK and the West, with marble tournaments standing as a defining cultural pastime. Major American glass foundries like Vitro Agate and Master Glass, alongside specialized European workshops, competed to innovate beautiful internal ribbon patterns. The quintessential "Cat's Eye" marble—distinguished by its central, vertical vanes of vibrant coloured glass suspended inside a clear globe—became a highly prized asset in schoolyard circles. This massive estate joblot of roughly 250 pieces represents a brilliant time capsule of that play heritage, showcasing classic multi-vane styles alongside beautiful frosted surface textures and a striking speckled glass marble that represents a wonderful visual addition to the collection.
Description
A spectacular investment opportunity for curators and vintage gaming enthusiasts, this comprehensive bulk joblot of approximately 250 vintage glass marbles delivers exceptional colour variety and high nostalgic appeal. The collection features a wide array of cased art glass spheres, heavily anchored by a beautiful selection of classic Cat's Eye marbles showcasing crisp internal ribbons in emerald green, electric blue, bright yellow, and sunset orange. Please note that the marbles are being sold as a loose loose bundle; the presentation tray used in the gallery images is not included with the purchase.
A spectacular investment opportunity for curators and vintage gaming enthusiasts, this comprehensive bulk joblot of approximately 250 vintage glass marbles delivers exceptional colour variety and high nostalgic appeal. The collection features a wide array of cased art glass spheres, heavily anchored by a beautiful selection of classic Cat's Eye marbles showcasing crisp internal ribbons in emerald green, electric blue, bright yellow, and sunset orange. Please note that the marbles are being sold as a loose loose bundle; the presentation tray used in the gallery images is not included with the purchase.
Expert Identification & Design Features:
- Massive Quantity Advantage: Contains an extensive collection of roughly 250 distinct specimens, making it a perfect instant display bundle or starter set for a new collector.
- Multi-Vane Ribbon Architecture: The Cat's Eye pieces feature clean, multi-layered internal glass fins that remain centred and suspended within their clear outer glass bodies.
- Diverse Variety Mix: Features classic multi-vane colours alongside translucent clearies, organic machine swirls, a frosted satin-matte specimen, and a standout dark marble filled with glistening multi-coloured surface speckles.
Condition Report
This extensive 250-piece marble collection is in very good vintage condition, showcasing honest playground history that instantly appeals to traditional collectors. The vast majority of the marbles remain beautifully smooth and bright, keeping an excellent surface gloss and superb optical clarity. Please note that the decorative cardboard display box tray is not included in this listing. Because these are authentic, estate-fresh vintage play pieces, light surface wear commensurate with age is present across the lot, including small superficial scuffs, minor play flea bites, and faint surface impact marks from historical use. There are no major shattered halves, deep structural cleavage cracks, or heavily ground post-factory repairs. (Please study the detailed multi-angle gallery close-ups to observe the precise internal vane structures, colours, and overall surface condition of the collection).
This extensive 250-piece marble collection is in very good vintage condition, showcasing honest playground history that instantly appeals to traditional collectors. The vast majority of the marbles remain beautifully smooth and bright, keeping an excellent surface gloss and superb optical clarity. Please note that the decorative cardboard display box tray is not included in this listing. Because these are authentic, estate-fresh vintage play pieces, light surface wear commensurate with age is present across the lot, including small superficial scuffs, minor play flea bites, and faint surface impact marks from historical use. There are no major shattered halves, deep structural cleavage cracks, or heavily ground post-factory repairs. (Please study the detailed multi-angle gallery close-ups to observe the precise internal vane structures, colours, and overall surface condition of the collection).
Shipping & Logistics
- Domestic Shipping: FREE UK TRACKED DELIVERY.
- Packaging: Securely packaged with professional care. The entire marble collection is safely enclosed loose in a double-sealed container to prevent any internal friction or rattling, and then heavily double-wrapped in thick bubble layers inside a rigid cardboard shipping box to ensure safe arrival.
- Dispatch: Order before 12.00pm and we ship same day.
Returns & Payment Policies
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
- Not as Described: In the unlikely event of an error in our listing, we will provide a full refund and cover the return postage costs.
- Change of Mind: We accept returns within 30 days; however, in these instances, the buyer is responsible for the return shipping costs.