Uranium glass marbles

Yeah what he said!

Some uranium and bone for a nice yellow…

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Hmm, that’s odd…it seems like the things I mentioned and the things you responded to aren’t really the same.
https://www.amazon.com/16inch-Round-Lead-Rolled-Bagged/dp/B00HCMGNMI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1514343890&sr=8-3&keywords=lead+cane
https://www.amazon.com/Mastercraft-50-Solder-Lb/dp/B00GY9D2LA/ref=sr_1_6?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1514344029&sr=1-6&keywords=lead+solder

I do realize lead fishing weights are becoming harder to find there is still plenty of places to get them. As far as electronics I know RoHS compliancy requires no lead, but I believe that stems from a waste disposal issue rather than handling.

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Hi.

Good to see that name! I’m told that he was, at one time, a potter. This and things like “Chun the Unavoidable” certainly support that, though the actual Junyao effect is difficult to achieve, and is not anywhere near unavoidable. I am still sad that I never got to send him a piece of my work.

Best –
jon

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Yeah RoHS all about disposal and e-waste, not safety. Handling leaded solder safely really isn’t hard to do. Like, don’t eat it, and wash your hands after using it (and I’m paranoid - I wipe down my tools and workspace after soldering). The flux is generally more dangerous since that’s what actually vaporizes.

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Welcome to Boing Boing! I own some old Vaseline glass beads and have been into fluorescent minerals since I was a kid, I’m not really what you’d call a collector though.

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Be sure to avoid bananas, then. :slight_smile:

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Is vaseline glass the same as canary glass? Because I’m familiar with the latter, but never heard of the former before.

The internets seem to disagree on this, some sources google gives me saying yes, some no.

It seems odd that something that’s been around since Imperial Rome was the hot ticket should bear the name of a product invented in 1872.

Canary glass is great in stained glass windows.

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Oh, I do. They taste horrible, even if they smell ok and have a funny shape.

Anyone who is losing their marbles (ISWYDT) over radioactivity or dangerous lead in Fiestaware needs to check their research. The Homer Laughlin company, despite using uranium for a color kick in their glazes, was actually fairly forward thinking about lead content; they phased lead out of their glazes long before it was required by law. Even their older glazes, unless they show obvious signs of damage, are pretty safe. As has been stated before, the radioactivity of their glazes is also minimal, more of a novelty than a hazard.

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I don’t see why these aren’t exactly what is described? That’s a reasonable price for new uranium glass marbles. I have a bunch of vintage uranium glass marbles that are orange, and flource brightly under black light, and you can indeed pick them up on a geiger counter, but they are reasonably safe. You can pick up exit signs and smoke detectors and kitty litter on geiger counters as well.

I personally like vintage vaseline glass, but there is new stuff out there as well.

(i see @zaphodbblx and @Alicevee beat me to it. :+1:)

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Uranium glass glows bright green. Period. An orange glow usually means manganese is present in the glass, not uranium salts. Many things glow under black light but bright green glow is the standard for uranium glass. Ebay has been responsible for much of the disinformation about uranium glass. Once sellers realized that “glow” was a selling point, everything that glowed was touted as Vaseline glass.

On rereading, I stand corrected. The marbles are orange but glow green and I misread it to say orange glow. Despite my reading incomprehension what I said about “glow” stands. Any glass that glows bright green contains uranium salts. I have orange glass made by Pukeberg (I know, unfortunate name) of Sweden that glows bright green and is very collectible.

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These are orange glass that glows green, most uranium glass I’ve seen is green or yellow or white when not flourcesing.

You are correct about the glow color, and there are other elements that fluoresce under black light that can be incorporated into glass. Consumers be informed, collectors even more so.

just looked up some pictures, looks like neat stuff. do you know if they still make uranium glass? my parents live in sweden so i might ask them to keep their eyes peeled if it can still be found.

Best bet will be flea market and antique dealers. Scandinavian glass is very collectible.

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