Experts believe losing one’s marbles originated in the United States in the late 1800s. Marbles — those little glass or metal balls
children use to play a variety of games — were popular toys long ago.
The word “marbles,” though, was also used to refer to one’s personal
belongings or “stuff.” Some people believe “marbles” eventually came to be associated with
one’s mind or wits or common sense, too. Since marbles were important
playthings and one’s personal belongings or “stuff” would also be very
important, one can see how one’s mind or wits or common sense could be
associated with these other important things. One can imagine a young child playing with his favorite marbles
around the turn of the 20th century. Marbles could be carried easily in
pockets, so he could take the game with him wherever he went. If he
were to lose one or more of these prized possessions, he would certainly
feel a sense of loss and likely a sense of anger or despair. He might
even appear crazy as he searched frantically for the missing marbles.
Since the late 1800's the phrase has appeared in literature.
In the 1954 film The Caine Mutiny Humphrey Bogart linked
insanity with marbles when he showed his character, the demented Lt.
Cmdr. Queeg, restlessly jiggling a set of metal balls when under stress
in court.
