CAIRO, W.Va -- The National Marble Museum, with an extensive collection of historic and contemporary marbles, will relocate from the West Coast to a new home at the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia in Weston. The announcement was made Saturday at the 12th annual Marble Festival in Cairo, W.Va. The festival attracted marble collectors for identification and games. In addition, there was a show and sale of antique, collectible and new machine and handmade marbles.
The National Marble Museum's collection covers a broad scope including a 1st Century Roman glass marble, German-made marbles from the 1890s and a 1975 ribbon swirl marble made by California artist Ro Purser who helped to start the whole art glass marble movement. West Virginia marbles are well represented as so many were made in the state, which even now is home to marble producers.
For the first time, the collection will be consolidated in one location rather than spread among three locations in two states as it is currently. The marbles will join the glass museum, which has more than 11,000 pieces of American-made glass. There is plenty of room since the museum recently moved into an expanded location in Weston.
The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia is open year round from noon to 4:30 p.m. daily except Wednesday, Sunday and major holidays. Admission is free.
The museum is located off I-79 exit 99 onto U.S. 33 West for two miles to Main Avenue. A left turn onto Main and the museum is on the left at 230 Main Avenue.
Begun in 1992, the museum relocated to its present location in 2007 and occupies 12,000 square feet with nearly 7,000 pieces of glass on permanent display.
More information can be found at http://wvmag.bglances.com or by calling 304-269-5006.
Marble fans in West Virginia have another reason to be excited this weekend as it's time for the 5th Annual Marble Show. The show will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Grande Pointe Conference Center in Vienna, W.Va. The event is sponsored by the West Virginia Marble Collectors' Club.
There will be many marbles and related items to see and buy at the show. Several collectors will be present from across the United States and Canada. In addition, company representatives from Jabo Marbles and Marble King as well as many individual marble artists will attend.
There will also be a marble-shooting tournament for children. Anyone can bring marbles for show, sell or trade.
The show will showcase the marbles and the memory of Lawrence E. Alley. Alley was an active West Virginia marble and glass novelty manufacturer. His career took him from Fostoria Glass to Huntington Glass as well as Fenton. He was General Manager at Ravenswood Glass and Novelty Company and also established and operated several companies throughout his career including Lawrence Glass Novelty Company, The Alley Agate Company and Alley Glass Manufacturing Company. He is probably best known for his marbles produced at Pennsboro and St. Marys, W.Va.
For more information, contact Howard Powell at 304-428-4234 or marbleannie@juno.com.
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