Picking up where the gallery page JABO, Inc. Classics left off. JABO's Industrial marble business was in severe decline. They went from fifty-five, to six full time employees. Rumors were coming from the top that a company closure was likely. Increased popularity of the Classics began to bring in more and more marble dealers with the idea of incorporating more exotic aventurines, lutz and oxbloods. On 11-07-2007, Jim King went to JABO, Inc. bringing along aventurines and lutz materials. Along with plant Manager Dave McCullough and machine operator Richard McKnight, they created what turned out to be the first JABO 5/8" oxblood marbles, and the first aventurine marbles. A blend of blue aventurine and gold lutz created the first oxbloods. Green aventurine was loaded in the back of the furnace, but most of the crystalline structure melted, but some made it through.

A second 5/8" oxblood test with Jim King was produced on 3-25-2008, solidifying a method of oxblood production with the use of gold lutz.

On 3-26-2008, Dale Simmons brought along a jar of aventurine given to him by Sammy Hogue, to JABO. Dale's past knowledge with making marbles at JABO and recent observations, prompted an idea to improve upon the application of aventurine. He began testing on the 9/16" industrial machine, which wound up being the run Dave McCullough named "Sammy's Sparkle". The run of tests produced some nice aventurine specimens.

The efforts of Jim, Dale and Sammy were key in this pivotal moment, in both creating the first oxblood and aventurine marbles, and establishing the methods employed in the upcoming contract runs.

Under tight budget restrictions, JABO would opt. to produce contract runs for dealer groups/crews lining up to partake in this exciting new endeavor.

The contract runs would be produced utilizing the Vitro 3/4" machine.

On 5-17-2008 Dave McCullough would produce a 3/4" aventurine test, preceding and in preparation for the first Contract run produced on 5-18-2008. These, as well as most of the contract runs in the first year, were produced utilizing Fenton white cullet as a base, with striking colors from Fenton, but more often from JABO batch glass and cullet from other suppliers. As the productions proved to be successful in every way, more expensive Kugler glass striking colors would be used, giving a wider variety and uniqueness, along with more vibrance to each run. This, along with ever improving patterns, resulted in what are arguably the best looking glass machine made swirl marbles ever produced. At least a dozen Contract runs were produced that first year and four dozen before Dave's departure from JABO in March of 2012. Also produced, a few 1" Contract runs, other 1", 3/4", 5/8" and Pee Wee runs, including JABO financed, Tank washes and experimental. More about those in the Gallery page "JABO, Inc. Miscellaneous" category. Upon Dave McCullough's departure and JABO's subsequent loss of its two premier machine operators Richard McKnight and Ronnie Ewers, the two founding owners of JABO, Inc., Joanne Argabrite and Jack Bogard, would go on to produce many more colorful runs of their own, along with a handful of contract runs. More on this in the Marble Identification category section "JABO, Inc. Post-McCullough".

 

Click on images for expanded view/notable information.

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Though not all contract run images (a timely endeavor), are yet to be posted here, a comprehensive list of actual contract runs along with some debunking may be viewed here.

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