Gary Stetson's amazing gift to you
The Maine State Museum is now home to "...the northeast's premier marble collection owned by a public museum"
By Jeanne Adams

Gray--Mid 1960's. It was a German made solid core swirl. He'd won the marble from Lewis Gordon during a recess game at Russell School in Gray. Gordon begged him to sell the marble back because it had belonged to his grandfather, and Gary Stetson did, for $10. It was the first marble he sold and the start of a lifetime of buying, selling and collecting antique marbles. Over his lifetime he's handled literally hundreds of thousands of marbles and amassed an amazing marble collection.

He's bought, sold and traded marbles primarily in Maine (about 90%) and New Hampshire, all over New England and as far away as Ohio. Left, Gary Stetson, "The Marble Man", with trusty friend, James, a14 yr. old Springer Spaniel Golden Lab mix. The Monument: Jeanne Adams photo

Oxblood (with real ox blood in it), swirls, rootbeer floats, submarines, cyclones, corkscrews, clambroths, popeyes, cobras, golden rebel, blue galaxy, rebel, patriot, flaming dragons - just a few marble names. Clear marbles with sulphide figures inside - Gary's favorite find was a rare colored glass sulphide containing a figure of a man on a stump holding a box.

Marbles reflect America's history - he showed a "peppermint", handmade in Germany marketed for the 1876 American Centennial. Marbles carried comic strip characters, advertising such as "Tom Mix" "Coat's Bakery", and names reflecting the times, like the antique submarine marble and the Girl Scout marble (circa 1940's) which were yellow and green, Handmade swirls (not to be confused with later machine-made "cats eyes" ) were the marbles most kids played with during the game's heyday1880-1910.

Collectible marbles come in all sizes and shapes, average prices range from $5 to $500. They can sell for several thousand dollars each. There are two categories of collectible marbles - handmade and machine made. Now collectible early machine-made marbles became popular after WWI Most collectible marbles were made in Europe, prior to WWII. Above, the marble at left is a 3 layered latticino core c. 1870, at right is a clear glass sulphide with a running rabbit inside, c. 1850-1860. The Monument: Jeanne Adams photo

Gary remembers individual marbles and recognizes them when they come up in the auction catalogs, and can tell you who has owned them and sometimes where they are now. At one time he owned a rare boxed set from the Chicago World's Fair, "that went from Maine to Ohio to St. Louis, and I think it's back in the Chicago area now. I found out after I sold it that it was one of only three known to exist and the best one of them."

Gary has generously shared his passion. There are the marble shows of course, attendees thrilled to see so many rare marbles in one place. But he's especially liked sharing his vast knowledge and collection of marbles with schoolchildren, nursing home residents, libraries and other groups.
"I like to give the neighborhood kids marbles, some of them have their own collections now," he said. He's also helping several local folks with their own collections.

Over the years he's met many interesting people and "been on a lot of wild goose chases". He's been interviewed several times: including TV reporter Amy Sinclair from Channel 13 who played marbles with him on his living room floor, and Bob Elliott from Channel 8, who came out for a "Bob's Basement" piece.

Right, Marble companies also manufactured other items using marble materals including ashtrays and doll dishes. Oxblood ashtray, c. 1930's, manufactured by the Akro Marble Company whose slogan was "shoot straight as the crow flies." Oxblood is indeed real blood from the animal added to the glass to make the distinctive "blood red" color. The Monument: Jeanne Adams photo..

He decided that it was important to save the collection and have it where the public would have access to it, rather than sell it. But, as he soon found out, it's harder than you think to give something away. He offered the collection to the Russell School, but the costs involved with insuring, storing and displaying the collection properly were too costly for the district to maintain.

Last fall, his collection found a new home at The Maine State Museum in Augusta. "It is such a comprehensive collection it rises to the level of a research collection as well," said Edwin Churchill, Ph.D, Chief Curator, adding "They have tremendous use potential in a variety of exhibits." The Museum plans to exhibit them soon in the "What's New" display case; The "Reflections of Maine: Glass from the State Museum" display; and more extensively in the 2006-2007 "At Home in Maine" exhibit. The Museum's Fall 2003 newsletter, The Broadside reported, " Stunning in its breadth and depth, this collection is the northeast's premier marble collection owned by a public museum."

Stetson's donation consisted of over 1140 lots valued at $14-$21,000. Some of the lots consist of up to 200 marbles. Appraiser Robert Block recommended additional marbles to round out the collection and Stetson is purchasing them as he can afford it, "to make it the best collection that Maine can possibly have."

In the business of buying and selling marbles, condition is everything, but here's a man who donated his collection with no conditions attached, saying "Most of the best marbles are in the hands of private collectors. I think it's more fun to give and the kids should have this forever. I think our kids are worth it."

Visit the Maine State Museum
83 State House Station
Augusta Me. 04333-0083
www.state.me.us/museum/
Museum Hours:
Tuesday-Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10-4. Closed:
Sunday, Monday, and all State holidays.
Admission:
Adults $2.00
Children 6-18 $1.00
Children under 6 Free
Family Maximum $6.00
Senior Citizens (62+) $1.00

How to play marbles
Here's one variation:
A relatively smooth playing field is required, usually on dirt. A small hole is made in the center of the playing area. Each player antes up a marble, and they are randomly scattered around the playing field.

Each player uses a large marble (called a shooter) to try to knock the other marbles into the hole (much like pool) Players take turns shooting, and if a player knocks a marble into the hole with his/her shot, they get to keep the marble they knocked in and shoot again.

Marble Show & Sale
Saturday, May 15, 9-3
Governor's Restaurant and Convention Center
South Portland, Maine
FMI: Gary Stetson, 657-4165