Marvelous Mibs Marbles Collectors Zone

MilwaukeeKid · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 11

I would like to learn how to check for UV glowing glass, what type of equipment or setup allows for this? I have a "black light" type bulb, but this doesn't seem to do anything.
The Kid

Alan · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 114 Location: Maryland

If you are using a UV light - any florescent glass should react when held near it. If it is a standard lamp bulb type - they can be fairly weak in UV output. Still - a florescent piece will glow hen held close to it.

EagleRidge · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 44 Location: KY

No fancy set up needed.
I use a little cheap penlight/keychain UV light.
Here are some:
http://www.google.com/products?q=mini+uv+keychain

I check every batch of marbles I get. Never know when you might get a surprise.
Ordinary looking cat's eyes. Veins glow on the yellow/green, base glass on the orange ones.

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Jane

lstmmrbls · Site Admin Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Posts: 696

IMO Do not waste your money on the regular lightbulb shaped (black lights) sold in stores. The led type work fantastic as do the small handhelds shaped like a flourescent tube. Peace,Galen
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Peace,Galen

that1 · Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 365 Location: here

The big fluorescent tubes work well if you've already got one, haven't tried the hand-held ones yet. Yes the bulb shaped ones aren't good for lighting much up unless it's really close.

MilwaukeeKid · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 11

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I took another look at my posse, but I only found two that glowed, kinda easy to burn your hand on the hot bulb though, ouch! I tried to photograph the two, but my camera would not pick up the green UV hues, what's up with that? The normal light photos look more green, but in hand the marbles have different shades of UV green, but they turned out pale, is there some special trick to capturing the UV glowage?
Also, one is a puny little 9/16" cork that seems like an Akro, has a nicely formed white opaque snake corkscrew in the UV glass base is a 3/4" marble with wispy white swirls, which makes the marble appear to have bright UV ribbons when lit up, really cool if I could only get it to show up in a photo, any ideas about an ID for either one?.
The Kid

EagleRidge · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 44 Location: KY

I shot the UV in complete darkness with nothing on except the little UV penlight. The camera need to be set to not flash and you may have a lot of trouble getting focus. I would have had better luck on the focus if I had used a tripod, but, I just held the camera and penlight in the same hand. If there is any other light available, the camera will try to be helpful and "correct" the color. Those bulb shaped black lights spread the light around too much and give the camera other things to "look" at.

The corkscrew is Akro. Not enough detail to ID the big guy to a specific maker. Many makers (old and new) used UV glass.
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Jane

jjuli · Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Posts: 3

eagleridge - thanks for posting the link.

I ordered a small LED UV light today so I can check out my mibs and other glassware.

I've wished I had one of those lights on a number of occasions, so thanks for providing the impetus to actually buy one!

Julie

Ponkochan · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:08 pm Post subject:

I agree with ya, MK............that little one is probably an Akro auger corkscrew. I love the little UV ones! Very Happy

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Lizzy