[from Marbles Galore] Sulphides, or figure marbles, are large translucent marbles manufactured in Germany from the mid-19th century up until the 1930s. Usually 1 1/2″ or more in size, they always feature a figure encased in the center, which early collectors mistakenly thought was made from sulfur. In fact these figures are made from porcelain and are usually animals but the rarer ones include people or numbers or other objects. No one knows exactly how many different figures or objects were made, but hundreds are known to exist.
I noticed that the latest Glass Works ‘Ides of March’ Auction had a number of marble lots, many of them Sulfides. I’ve always liked these figural marbles and if I started collecting marbles I might start here. I put together some pictures of these neat collectibles.
If you are ever at Jeff Wichmann’s American Bottle Auctions in Sacramento, ask to look at some of Jeff’s great marbles. He really gets fired up telling you about all the variations and colors. He also has many of them displayed in a custon table stand that Richard Siri built.
Read further: Marbles Galore | Marble Auction House: Morphy Auctions | Nice Article on Jeff Wichmann at Mad Marbles | A Brief History of the Birth of the Modern American Toy Industry in Akron, Ohio | Marble Books | Marble Forum
