Marbles

Marbles are often mentioned in Roman literature, and there are many examples of marbles from ancient Egypt. They were commonly made of clay, stone or glass. Ceramic marbles entered inexpensive mass production in the 1870s.
A German glassblower invented marble scissors in 1846, a device for making marbles. They entered mass production in Ohio the early 20th century when World War I cut off their importation from Europe. This tasked the American marble industry to produce a mechanized method of glass marble production that soon became the most common system in the world. Glass marbles became the most popular variety and have remained so to this day.
In some developing countries, children use steel, minerals or tiny rocks as less pricey marble substitutes. A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about ½ inch (1.25 cm) across, but they may range from less than ¼ inch (0.635 cm) to over 3 inches (7.75 cm), while some art glass marbles for display purposes are over 12 inches (30 cm) wide. Marbles can be used for a variety of children's games, and are often collected, both for nostalgia and for their aesthetic colors.