Keith Glein
This Giant Tohoku Roller is 9 3/4 inches long and 3 inches wide.
It is clear in color with a slightly pinkish cast.
Clear and bold mark WP #181 'S' stamped on an ID seal.
This is one of the only three larger floats identified with the WP #181 maker's mark. It measures 33 1/2 inches in circumference or almost 11 inches in diameter.
In Walt Pich's 'Glass Ball Marks' book, he states, "Only one float has been identified on Pacific beaches; none have been found in Japan." He describes it as an "10-inch diameter, dark green ball found on the central Oregon coast in the 1960's."
I found a second 11 inch float with mark WP #181 on eBay in 2011. Mine is only one that's blue-green in color.
In 2021, a third large float with mark WP #181 was found in Japan. It measures 10.7 inches according the Steve Bradford. It's a green colored float but I wouldn't describe it as dark green color (as Walt describes the float in his 'Marks' book).
Information about the rarity of floats can change quickly, but these floats seem pretty rare from what I currently know.
This is an exceptionally thick bold stamp of mark WP #59 'Ki' キ under a Roof.
This maker's mark really stands out on a smaller 3 inch float.
This float is 37 inches in circumference and is an unusual purple or burgundy color.
Probably made in Japan for the tourist trade in the 1950's - 1960's.
This maker's mark has three symbols: 'Z' - Shi シ - Saサ. I think this is an undocumented mark.
It's a standard blue-green 3 inch float.
Beachcombed on Kunashir Island, Russia.
Authentic Japanese beer bottle brown 14 inch float.
There are some remnants of barnacles.
This 4 inch float has a twisting spindle.
It's an unusual light green color and has faint amber swirls throughout. There are also lots of swirls in the glass, too.
Tons of tiny bubbles.
Found on Hokkaido Island, Japan.
Excellent example of a net pattern on this honey amber tri-mold float.
This a 3-piece mold float that is 3 inches in diameter.
WP #21 'Hoko' is stamped multiple times on this 2 1/4 inch float.
There are four clear complete stamps and one partial stamp.
I think the light blue seal helps highlight these marks.
Found on Hokkaido Island, Japan.
These striking Amber Gold Swirls really make this 2 1/4 inch standout in a display standard blue/green floats.
The bluish green nubbin is a nice visual touch, too.
It has a partial WP #10 Rivermouth x 3 stamp.
Found on Hokkaido Island, Japan.
WP #277 Maru No ノ Sa サ stamped on a 3 inch float.
Found on Hokkaido Island, Japan.