Sulphide. Smithsonian Magazine Marble. Sulphide bust of Christopher Columbus. 1-15/16 inches. Polished. Rolled to $5,144 ($1,250/2,500).
TRUMBULL, CONN. — Block’s Marble Auction, the longest running marble auction, conducted its 1,133rd auction on Saturday, July 16. This live online auction featured several rare and high-quality antique, vintage and contemporary, handmade and machine made marbles, as well as marble-related items and paperweights.
Leading the sale were seven of the marbles pictured on the April 1988 cover of Smithsonian Magazine. The image on the cover is perhaps the most iconic marble image in the history of marble collecting. It has been viewed by millions of people over the years (the magazine has a circulation of almost two million). Rarely does Smithsonian Magazine picture a collectible on its cover. However, in early 1988 the magazine approached iconic marble collector Bert Cohen about an article on the history of marble playing and the hobby of marble collecting. Cohen provided a variety of antique German handmade marbles for the photo shoot. There are no other individual marbles that are more well-known in the hobby of marble collecting than the marbles on this magazine cover. Subsequently, the marbles passed to a relative who then sold seven of them to the consignor at Block’s auction. This was a rare opportunity to own one of the most iconic marbles in the entire hobby. In total, the seven marbles realized a total of $18,479.
Other highlights of the sale included three Christensen Agate Company Guineas; several Christensen Agate Company Flame Swirls; numerous Peltier Glass Company National Line Rainbos, including a Golden Rebel; a Pennsylvania Dutch hand painted China; numerous Sulphides, including a numeral #2 on a disk and a Troubador; a dozen paperweights, including an antique St Louis; and many other marbles, marble packages and marble related items.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house.
Bidding for the auction was through Block’s Marble Auction platform and LiveAuctioneers. For more information, www.marbleauctions.com.
