Red glass was common for tail lights, stop signs, and fancy drinking goblets
very early in the 20th century. The gold made it expensive, but red balls
were sandwiched between metal sheets with mirror reflector on the back side and
small holes over the balls in front and lights shining on the balls
reflected the mirrors from behind and made a pretty effective stop or hazard sign at
night. Kids during the Depression used to pry those balls out and prized them
as marbles in street games. A red marble held hostage in a game of pots
might cost 20 Chinas or 50 common clays to be returned to the original "owner."
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
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