Vitro Agate Company: A Storied Legacy in American Marble Making

Founded in 1932 in Vienna, West Virginia, the Vitro Agate Company emerged during the Great Depression as a bold venture by Henri Arthur Fisher, Lawrence E. Alley, and Press Lindsey. The name “Vitro” was inspired by Vitrolite, a type of architectural glass, reflecting the company’s roots in glass manufacturing. Fisher, originally a plant manager at Vitrolite, envisioned using glass cullet to create marbles—a plan that led to the birth of Vitro’s earliest styles like Clear-Lites, Du-Lites, and Tri-Lites.

By 1945, Vitro relocated to Parkersburg, WV, where it thrived for decades. It weathered WWII and the influx of Japanese cat’s eye marbles in the 1950s by innovating its own designs, including the now-iconic Hybrid Cat Eye and All-Red styles. In 1969, Fisher sold the company to the Gladding Corporation, which briefly rebranded it as Gladding-Vitro Agate. Ownership changed hands again in 1982 to the Paris Manufacturing Company, and later in 1987 to the Viking Rope Company, which moved operations to Anacortes, Washington.

Despite attempts at revitalization, Vitro ceased operations in 1992, and its machinery and name were acquired by JABO Inc., which continued producing marbles under the Vitro name in Williamstown, WV until 2004. Today, Vitro marbles—especially the hybrids—are cherished by collectors for their craftsmanship, color complexity, and nostalgic charm.