There's something enchanting in an object so perfectly round it will roll in any direction sent. The marble has fascinated man since Roman times when stones were ground to round for the amusement of the ancients. Now there is an enthusiastic group of young marble players... Mibsters...who each year, compete for a place at the National Marbles Tournament in Wildwood, New Jersey. This is the first and oldest organized children's sporting event, consisting of two divisions for boys and girls aged 7-14.
The champions are then inducted into the Marbles Hall of Fame, also located in Wildwood, NJ. Antique marbles are enthusiastically collected, possessed and traded at the annual MarbleFest in Cairo, West Virginia. The United States, at one time, boasted well over 200 marble makers in West Virginia and the Ohio river valley.
Now, family owned and operated Marble King is one of only two to survive in the U.S. and currently produce over one million marbles a day! The process of converting recycled glass into perfect marbles is absolutely mesmerizing! There's a new generation of boutique marble makers. Glass artists Steve Davis and Eddie Seese demonstrate how they create beautiful pieces so gorgeous they are on display in private collections, galleries and museums around the world.
DVDDASE10 REVIEW: Marbles: Ancient Art and Modern Play
"Part of the Discoveries...America, Special Edition series which focuses upon extraordinarily talented people of America, Marbles: Ancient Art and Modern Play is all about the marvelous toy and collectable that is the marble. A brief exploration of the marble's history since ancient times, when Romans ground stones into a spherical shape for amusement, paves the way for the modern-day National Marbles Tournament, the first and oldest organized children's sporting event for boys and girls ages 7-14.
Antique marbles are collected and traded, and two marble making factories survive in the united States; Marbles: Ancient Art and Modern Play even offers a glimpse into how recycled glass is transformed into perfect marbles. The creations of boutique marble makers and glass artists take their place in private collections, galleries, and museums around the world. Marbles: Ancient Art and Modern Play is a truly amazing look into the unplumbed depths of a true collector's hobby."
DVDDASE10 REVIEW: Marbles: Ancient Art and Modern Play
"Marble enthusiasts will learn a great deal about marbles as a sport and as a hobby in this documentary. The film starts in Wildwood, NJ, at the 82nd National Marbles Tournament where children ages 7 to 14 compete for the grand prize: a $2,000 college scholarship...children are likely to enjoy the tour of the family-owned and operated Marble King factory in West Virginia. One of only two marble producers in the United States, Marble King makes more than one million marbles per day. Concluding segments with glass artists as they create artistic marbles add a nice touch but make for a lengthy documentary. For serious marble fans or adults studying Americana."
