New Additions - Paperweights
for Sale
New Additions - Paperweights
for Sale
| 2593 | Price Reduction - Antique Baccarat Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight. Circa 1880 -1934. Colorful concentric
millefiori paperweight with a clear ground. There are four
rings of complex millefiori canes around a complex center
cane. The outer ring alternates between pink and blue
canes. The three inner rings are green, red, and white.
As is typical of millefiori from this period, the canes are very
complex and miniaturized. A wonderful example.
Baccarat continued to make paperweights after the classic period (1845-1860), but little is known about the extent of the product line or who made the paperweights. It is known that by 1910, the offering in the catalog had dwindled to pansy paperweights, simple open concentric paperweights, and rock paperweights. This open concentric paperweight may date from that earlier pre-1920 period or it may be from the Dupont period. Popular lore attributes 1920-1934 Baccarat paperweights to a Mr. Dupont, who supposedly was the last worker at Baccarat to know the secrets of paperweight making. These paperweights were sold at a Baccarat retail shop in Paris. No collector or scholar ever met Mr. Dupont although at least one visited the Baccarat factory and asked to meet with him. The weights stopped appearing in the shop in 1934. New research of the Baccarat archives has identified the actual maker as Joseph Boyé (1877-1948). He is recorded as the maker of millefiori canes and millefiori paperweights during this period (1920-1934). Very little is known about Mr. Boyé, but there is enough similarity in the millefiori canes to suggest that he had access to the original molds or some of the original millefiori canes from the classic period. He later trained another glassworker, Georges Brocard, to make open concentric paperweights in 1946. Armed with this knowledge, Brocard was influential in the revival of paperweight making at Baccarat in the 1950s. Another glassworker, Louis Idoux (1882-1941), is recorded as making the Baccarat pansy paperweights during the 1920-1934 period. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights and the Dupont connection in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Size: Just under 2 1/2" diameter by 1 11/16"
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$195 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1491 | Rare Chinese White Paperweight with Painting of a Chinese
Scholar. Circa
1930. This paperweight has a colored painting of a
Chinese scholar surrounded by rock formations. The painting is
created on a white enamel base and then encased in glass.
There is Chinese writing on the left side. There is a black
stroke at the right edge which may be an attempt at an artists
signature or it may be just a smudge. The style dates from the
1930s and is almost an antique.
This paperweight is a form of Chinese folk art although it was most likely inspired by frit weights from Southern New Jersey. I believe the Chinese were given examples of Millville frit weights to duplicate. Since they were already experienced in painting on ceramics, they applied their own unique interpretation to paperweights using a white enamel disk as the base and incorporating familiar themes already found in Chinese art. Chinese Paperweights were made in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s as an attempt to duplicate 19th Century antique weights made in the United States and France. Because they are almost 100 years old, they are very collectible and every collector should own a few of these as study pieces. The history of the early Chinese paperweights is mostly anecdotal as no written records have been discovered. The story is that an American dealer sent examples of paperweights made by the New England Glass Company (NEGC), Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S), Millville makers, and French factories to a Chinese factory and requested copies be made. The results are interesting and sometimes confused with the originals by inexperienced collectors. The earliest pictures of these paperweights appeared in the book American Glass Paperweights by Francis Edgar Smith published in 1939. Smith was aware that at least one of the paperweights shown in his book was Chinese. Since Smith was not an expert collector, this indicates that there was some general knowledge that these were Chinese prior to 1939. In the United States, the Tariff Act of 1930 required that every imported item must be conspicuously and indelibly marked in English with its country of origin. As a result, many of these Chinese paperweights are scratch signed on the bottom "CHINA". Many are also not signed, suggesting that either they were imported prior to 1930 or the importer ignored the requirement. Most likely the earliest Chinese paperweights were made prior to 1930. The Chinese makers often combined design features found in paperweights from different makers. For example they copied the latticinio grounds used by New England Glass Company and used them with copies of Baccarat Pansy weights. The original Baccarat pansy paperweights never had a latticinio ground. They copied the pedestal rose from Millville and then used the pedestal bottom with other weights. It is fun to collect all the variations. In general, Chinese paperweights from this period have a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass also has a soft almost oily feel. Frequently they have bubbles or debris in the glass. And because of their age, many of these have minor scratches or other surface defects. Small Size: Just over 2 1/4" diameter by just
over 1 1/4" high. The bottom is fire finished.
For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 3/21/2018 For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4409 | Charles Kaziun III Faceted Micro Miniature Pedestal Foil
Paperweight. circa 2000 - 2002. This is a micro
miniature pedestal paperweight with a gold foil figure in it.
I am calling it a genie, but am not sure what it is supposed to
be. It is signed with an engraved CK (Large C with a K inside)
on the base. It is faceted with a large top facet and six side
facets. Really tiny. An amazing paperweight. Charles Kaziun III is the son of Charles Kaziun, Jr. He also produced paperweights for about 10 years starting in 1992. His work resembles that of his father, but he tended to make larger paperweights and had his own style. He used a silver K for his signature on paperweights. He also made very tiny paperweights like this that are almost dollhouse size. They are very collectible and not easy to find. Tiny Size: 3/4" diameter by just under 1"
high. It is faceted with a large top facet and six side
facets. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight SOLD. Added 3/21/2018 For more paperweights by Charles Kaziun, see my Kaziun Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4219 | Mystery Millefiori Scramble Paperweight with Character Canes
from Unknown Maker - possibly Antique. vintage or
antique. This is a mystery paperweight. At first glance, I
thought this might be a 1960s Murano scramble due to the glittery
aventurine and frit ground The weight is a scramble with
smudged canes placed over a frit ground. When viewed from the
bottom, there is a void in the frit where the pontil scar has been
ground off. When I look through the void I can see character canes
that are unfamiliar. There are at least six well defined mystery
canes. I was able to capture pictures of four of them, the others
are just as interesting. Large Size: 2 3/4" diameter by 1 7/8" high.
The base is flat with the center ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$145 postage paid in the US. Added 3/21/2018 For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3924 | Rare Early Steven Lundberg
Contemporary Art Glass - Justin Lundberg White Butterfly and Pink
Flowers Paperweight. dated 1997. This
paperweight by Steven Lundberg and Justin Lundberg features a white
butterfly hovering over two large pink flowers with green
foliage. The ground is a translucent dark blue. The
paperweight a compound composition with the flowers and foliage
above the ground and the butterfly on another level. It is
signed and dated on the edge just above the base "SLCAG
97 JL". The paperweight was made shortly after Steven
Lundberg left Lundberg Studios in 1997 to start Steven Lundberg
Contemporary Art Glass with his son Justin Lundberg in Santa
Cruz. Unfortunately, the quality of the glass is not
great. There are bubbles and striations in the glass and the
surface has an oily feel that I could not remove. Still, it is
an important great addition to any collection of Lundberg
Glass, although not up to the usual Lundberg standards and priced
accordingly. In 1970 James Lundberg founded a small "backyard" studio Nouveau Glass in San Jose, California. He was joined by his brother Steven Lundberg , Daniel Salazar, David Salazar, and several other glass artists. The first paperweights were made in 1972. They were known for their surface decorated designs and torchwork and later for their lampwork. In 1973 the firm was renamed Lundberg Studios and moved to Davenport, California. James died in an accident in 1991. Although in later years, each paperweight produced at Lundberg Studios was signed and dated by the studio and signed by the artist, the earliest paperweights did not have the artists signature. Steven Lundberg left Lundberg Studios in 1997 and set up his own studio in Santa Cruz, CA under the name of “Contemporary Art Glass”. Legal entanglements caused the company name to be changed to “Steven Lundberg Glass Art”. His son, Justin Scott Lundberg (born 1978), joined him in the business. Justin Lundberg paperweights show often have a unique look and incorporate a new experimental technique to incorporate pieces of fused glass cut with a water jet. Steven Lundberg died from ALS in 2008. Please ignore the white areas in the picture caused by the light. Large Size: Just under 3" diameter by just
under 2 1/2" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 3/11/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4389 | Large Antique New England Glass Company (NEGC) Red Double
Poinsettia Paperweight with Bud on Double Latticinio Ground.
circa 1860 - 1888. This is an antique New England Glass
Company (NEGC) double poinsettia with a two rings of five red petals
arranged around an interesting lampwork center. There is a
crisp rose-type bud, three well formed NEGC leaves, and a
stem. The design is placed over a perfect double swirl
latticinio ground. As is typical of NEGC poinsettias, the
flower is placed leaning off to the left. Please review
the two notes below. Was this intended to be a rose rather
than a poinsettia? I don't know. An interesting addition
to any collection of antique American paperweights. Note on execution: The design is set unusually low in the paperweight with little glass under the latticinio. There is considerable wear on the base, so I don't think the base has been ground down. Also, many NEGC flowers and also millefiori paperweights, have extra bubbles in the design. This example is no exception with a medium bubble below the flower. Note - What shall I call thee: Some collectors have called this a rose rather than a double poinsettia. The bud in this weight shares some of the qualities found in the true rose weights but the blossom differs. The center swirl component differs also to the cane centers found in NEGC poinsettias. The New England Glass Company (NEGC) operated in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1818 to 1888. You can read about paperweights from the New England Glass Company in the book by John Hawley. The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies covers both B&S and NEGC.
Large Size: 2 11/16" diameter by just over 1 7/8"
high. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$495 postage paid in the US. Added 3/11/2018 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3153 | Lost Coast Jesse Taj 2001 Butterfly Murrini Miniature Pedestal
Paperweight. dated 2001. This is a wonderful
example of the murrini work of Jesse Taj Karolczuk assembled into a
miniature pedestal paperweight. The paperweight features a
butterfly in the center of two rings of flower murrini on the top,
with additional murrini of butterflies, flowers, swirls, and other
design elements on the sides. A blue and white twist torsade
encircles the footed base. It is signed on the bottom
"Jesse Taj #9 2001". A great example from this talented
artist. Note: Most Taj murrini paperweights are limited editions, so I suspect the paperweight is also a limited edition. The #9 indicates the sequence, but I don't know the size of the edition. Murrini often depict abstract designs, flowers and and even portraits of famous figures. They differ from millefiori in that molds are not used to create them. Rather the artist will build up a glass cane (cylinder shaped glass rod) by "painting" layer upon layer of glass until every cross sections of the glass cane contains the same image throughout its length. The art of murrini making goes back at least 2,500 years, but contemporary murrini makers like Dinah Hulet, Loren Stump, and Jesse Taj have elevated the art to amazing new heights. The Lost Coast Glass Studio is a collaboration of Jesse Taj Karolczuk and Jared DeLong. Jesse Taj Karolczuk was born in Wareham Massachusetts and now lives and works in Humboldt county, California. Jesse Taj began working with glass using lampwork techniques in 1994 in Eugene Oregon. He uses murrini of flowers and animals as subject matter in his paperweights and marbles. His murrini canes are sought after by collectors worldwide. There is a permanent exhibit of his work at the Palazzo Rota museum in Venice, Italy. He has taught glassblowing in Italy, Japan, and the U.S. Miniature Size: Just over 1 1/2"
diameter by just over 1 11/16"" high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$345 postage paid in the US. Added 3/8/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3120 | Antique Baccarat Macédoine (Scramble) Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1845-1860. This
paperweight is made up of multi-colored striped millefiori segments
arranged at (mostly) right angles. This is a antique
paperweight made during the classic period of paperweight making
(1845-1860). A great example of this unique style of antique
Baccarat paperweight. Wonderful color. The Macédoine is a uniquely Baccarat style in which the short sections of latticinio (twists, filigree, lace) are arranged in a quilt-like pattern with many of the sections at right angles to each other. Usually there are no millefiori present. This pattern was originally made during the classic period of French paperweights (1845-1860). A modern version was produced in the 1960s and is similar to but different from the antique version. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat continued to make paperweights after the classic period (1845-1860), but little is known about the extent of the product line or who made the paperweights. It is known that by 1910, the offering in the catalog had dwindled to pansy paperweights, simple open concentric paperweights, and rock paperweights. Popular lore attributes 1920-1934 Baccarat paperweights to a Mr. Dupont, who supposedly was the last worker at Baccarat to know the secrets of paperweight making. These paperweights were sold at a Baccarat retail shop in Paris. No collector or scholar ever met Mr. Dupont although at least one visited the Baccarat factory and asked to meet with him. The weights stopped appearing in the shop in 1934. New research of the Baccarat archives has identified the actual maker as Joseph Boyé (1877-1948). He is recorded as the maker of millefiori canes and millefiori paperweights during this period (1920-1934). Very little is known about Mr. Boyé, but there is enough similarity in the millefiori canes to suggest that he had access to the original molds or some of the original millefiori canes from the classic period. He later trained another glassworker, Georges Brocard, to make open concentric paperweights in 1946. Armed with this knowledge, Brocard was influential in the revival of paperweight making at Baccarat in the 1950s. Another glassworker, Louis Idoux (1882-1941), is recorded as making the Baccarat pansy paperweights during the 1920-1934 period. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights and the Dupont connection in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Medium Size: 2 1/2" diameter by 1 3/4"
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$495 postage paid in the US. Added 3/3/2018 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat
Paperweights
Web Page. (dl-bac-ant) Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4622 | Lost Coast Jesse Taj Jared DeLong Limited Edition Faceted Flowers
and Murrini Butterfly Paperweight. dated
2007. This is a wonderful combination of lampwork and murrini
work, with a miniature murrini butterfly hovering over four pink and
white three petal miniature lampwork flowers. The flowers are
floating on a translucent green ground. This paperweight is a
collaborative effort made at Lost Coast Studio in Trinidad,
California. The butterfly is an outstanding example of the
murrini work of Jesse Taj Karolczuk. The miniature lampwork
flowers are made by Jared DeLong. It is signed on the side
near the base "TAJ" and "DeLong '07 #4". This is a real jewel
of a paperweight that shimmers with excellence. Note: Most Taj murrini are limited editions, so I suspect the paperweight is also a limited edition. The #4 indicates the sequence, but I don't know the size of the edition. Murrini often depict abstract designs, flowers and and even portraits of famous figures. They differ from millefiori in that molds are not used to create them. Rather the artist will build up a glass cane (cylinder shaped glass rod) by "painting" layer upon layer of glass until every cross sections of the glass cane contains the same image throughout its length. The art of murrini making goes back at least 2,500 years, but contemporary murrini makers like Dinah Hulet, Loren Stump, and Jesse Taj have elevated the art to amazing new heights. The Lost Coast Glass Studio is a collaboration of Jesse Taj Karolczuk and Jared DeLong. Jesse Taj Karolczuk was born in Wareham Massachusetts and now lives and works in Humboldt county, California. Jesse Taj began working with glass using lampwork techniques in 1994 in Eugene Oregon. He uses murrini of flowers and animals as subject matter in his paperweights and marbles. His murrini canes are sought after by collectors worldwide. There is a permanent exhibit of his work at the Palazzo Rota museum in Venice, Italy. He has taught glassblowing in Italy, Japan, and the U.S. Jared DeLong was raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He was introduced to the medium of glass at an early age, working alongside his mother cutting stained glass. Later, he introduced himself to Lundberg Studios where he gained exposure to a hot-shop environment. This experience helped him decide what he wanted to do in glass. In 2000, Jared moved to Trinidad, California where he started Lost Coast Glass and had a successful partnership creating paperweights for the L.H. Selman Gallery. He taught and attended classes at the Niijima International School of Glass, in Japan, and Venice, Italy. DeLong continues to live and work with his wife in Trinidad. Together they manage the Lost Coast Gallery. Medium Size: 2 3/8" diameter by 1 7/8""
high. Faceted with one top facet. The base is ground
concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/25/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4766 | Large Early Grant Randolph Angelfish, Anemones, and Pulled
Feather Style Paperweight with Box and Certificate. dated
1979. This is a wonderful example of Grant Randolph's work
featuring a surface decorated design with a red angelfish,
millefiori anemones and other sea life with long tendrils trailing
down, and a pulled feather design resembling waves. The
interior is a realistic looking pebble surface built over a white
ground. It is a very complex and ambitious design. It is
signed on the base "Grant Randolph Studios 79/3647" and also has the
studio's gold seal. It comes with its original box and
certificate.
Grant Randolph started the Grant Randolph Studios in Santa Barbara, California in 1977, so this is a very early weight from this artist. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Glass from the University of Hawaii. The studio has also been the home to other artists working with surface decorated designs, including Chris Buzzini. Large Size: Just under 2 3/4" diameter by just under
2 1/2"" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/25/2018. For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3522 | Graceful Liam Carey (Liskeard or Merlin Glass) Swirl
Paperweight from Cornwall, England. circa
1977 - 1994. This paperweight features a green and white swirl
wrapping around the paperweight from the top to the bottom. It
is signed with a label on the base "HANDMADE GLASS BY Liam Carey
LISKEARD 42399". I believe this was made at Liskeard Glass
before Liam Carey bought the firm and renamed it Merlin Glass.
See below for a brief history. An interesting addition to any
collection of English paperweights.
Liskeard Glassworks was established by John Randle in 1970 in Liskeard, Cornwall, England. It claims to be one of the first glass studios established outside of London. The workers were Jim Dyer, Bill Robson (ex-Whitefriars workers) and Duncan Randle. Originally they were best known for fine wine glasses and tankards. Liam Carey joined Liskeard Glass in 1977 at the age of 16 as an apprentice and made their full range. In 1983 Liam purchased Liskeard Glass and renamed it Merlin Glass and continued to make a large range of vases, bowls, wine glasses, flowers, scent bottle, paperweights. Starting in 1994, they started focusing on glass door knobs made for Laura Ashley and others and which they continue to make today. Large Size: 2 13/16" diameter by just under 2
5/8" high. The base has a label, so I was not able to
determine if a pontil mark remains. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$69 postage paid in the US. Added 2/23/2018 For more paperweights by English paperweight makers, see my English Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3487 | Signed Joe St. Clair Blue and White Sparrow
Paperweight. circa 1960 - 1980. A very attractive
figural paperweight in the shape of a bird. The blue and white
inner core / ground is pleated and then cased in clear glass.
There is a carefully placed bubble in each pleat. The tail and
head are clear glass. The blue and white colors give this bird
a unique identity. More typically these birds are brown.
It is hot stamped "JOE ST CLAIR" on the base. A flashy
paperweight. You can read about the St. Clairs from Elwood, Indiana in the book American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 & 1970). There is also a price guide by Pruitt that shows a $35-40 price range for a bird signed St. Clair, but the price guide does not show a price a bird signed Joe St. Clair. The St. Clair line (as far as paperweights are concerned) started with John "Pop" St. Clair, Sr. who worked at the George MacBeth Glass Works in Elwood from around 1903 to 1938. Local natural gas production faltered in 1938 and the St. Clairs began to develop their ideas for a new business of their own. Joe St. Clair (1909 - 1987) did the original experimentation and the business was formally started in 1941 in Elwood, Indiana. John, Sr. and the brothers John, Jr., Joe, Ed and Bob all participated, while another brother, Paul, did not at first. By 1944 St. Clair paperweights were being sold through Georg Jenson on Fifth Avenue in New York. Joe retired (the first time) in 1971 and sold the factory to new owners in Elwood, Indiana. Sometime later, the new owners of the original factory sold the factory back to Joe. For a while, there were two St. Clair factories, one owned by Joe and the other owned by Bob St. Clair. Large Size: 2 1/16" wide by 4 3/8" long by 2 5/8"
high. The bottom is finished flat and hot stamped in the
center with the signature. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/21/2018 For more information about paperweights made by the St. Clair factory, see my St. Clair Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3519 | Rare Nancy Freeman 1983 Abstract Layered Millefiori
Paperweight. dated 1983. This is an
interesting paperweight made by Nancy Freeman. The layered
construction of millefiori anemones on an earthen surface is a
precursor to the Layered Photographic Painting that Nancy is
creating today using digital imagery. It is signed "N Freeman
6/83" in script on the base. Nancy Freeman earned her Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree from the State University of New York at New
Paltz in 1973, then became apprenticed to glassblower Henry
Summa. After studying with Summa, she attended the Penland
School of Crafts in North Carolina in 1974. Freeman had her own glass studio in
Ashokan area of New York from the
mid 1970s to the late 1980s. Her work
has been exhibited in many shows and is part of several museum
and private collections. She currently has a studio in
Washington, DC focusing on painting, photography, and digital
imagery. Small Size: 2 5/16" diameter by 2 5/16" high.
The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/20/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4450 | Huge Magnum Modern Chinese Concentric Hexagon Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1970-1990. Huge Chinese millefiori
paperweight with a concentric hexagon pattern. There are five
hexagon shapes and a single cane in the center. This pattern
may be inspired by Clichy paperweights with a hexagon pattern.
As is typical of Chinese paperweights from this period, the base is
ground matte and is not a perfect circle. I believe this dates
from 1970 to 1990. It has bright, gaudy colors and is
unusually large (just under 4" diameter). Chinese Paperweights were made in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s as an attempt to duplicate 19th Century antique weights made in the United States and France. Because they are almost 100 years old, they are very collectible and every collector should own a few of these as study pieces. The history of the early Chinese paperweights is mostly anecdotal as no written records have been discovered. The story is that an American dealer sent examples of paperweights made by the New England Glass Company (NEGC), Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S), Millville makers, and French factories to a Chinese factory and requested copies be made. The results are interesting and sometimes confused with the originals by inexperienced collectors. The earliest pictures of these paperweights appeared in the book American Glass Paperweights by Francis Edgar Smith published in 1939. Smith was aware that at least one of the paperweights shown in his book was Chinese. Since Smith was not an expert collector, this indicates that there was some general knowledge that these were Chinese prior to 1939. In the United States, the Tariff Act of 1930 required that every imported item must be conspicuously and indelibly marked in English with its country of origin. As a result, many of these Chinese paperweights are scratch signed on the bottom "CHINA". Many are also not signed, suggesting that either they were imported prior to 1930 or the importer ignored the requirement. Most likely the earliest Chinese paperweights were made prior to 1930. Early imports from China have a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass also has a soft almost oily feel. Frequently they have bubbles or debris in the glass. More recent imports are of improved quality and have better glass and execution. Huge Size: 3 15/16" (just under 4") diameter by 3
1/8" high. The base is ground flat with a matte
finish. As is typical of modern Chinese paperweights, the
base is not a perfect circle. It weighs 2 pounds 6
ounces. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$59 postage paid in the US. Added 2/18/2018 For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4334 | Rare Large Vasart or Strathearn Millefiori Paperweight Pin Dish.
circa
1946-1963. This pin dish features a millefiori design with
three millefiori canes in the center, surrounded by a ring of
colorful complex canes, and then eleven outer panels of canes.
Each panel has a 1-1 cane pattern and they are separated by a short
section of green and blue colored twists. The ground is an
opaque turquoise. The dish is heavy with thick walls and a
depressed center. I believe this to be an early item, hence my
attribution to Vasart. An interesting historical addition to
any collection of Scottish paperweights, Ysart glass or millefiori
collectibles.
Items like this were made by the many of the Scottish paperweight companies (Ysart Brothers, Vasart Glass, Strathearn Glass, or even Perthshire Paperweights). Some of the products made by Vasart were also sold with a Pirelli label. It is important to note that most pin dishes started off as paperweights. The maker found a defect or problem and rather than stop, turned it into a pin dish. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. The new company was owned by Teachers Whiskey. Large Size: 3 3/4” diameter by 1 7/16” high.
The center well is 2 7/16" diameter. Bottom is fire polished
and the pontil mark is ground down. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the pin dish$125 postage paid in the US. Added 2/18/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4497 | Rare Magnum Tundra Glass 1989 Red Paperweight. dated
1989. This is an interesting paperweight from the
short lived Tundra Glass Studio in Upper Red Hook, New York.
It is an unusual combination of white bits, blue tubing (canes), and
a red ground. The final product is cased with clear
glass. I would classify it as furnace work rather than
lampwork or millefiori. It is not a leap to imagine the glass
worker starting with a gather of clear glass, creating a red ground
from ground glass, and adding the bits of white and blue glass
before the final casing. It is signed "Tundra Glass 1989" in
script on the base. Tundra Glass was founded in Upper
Red Hook, New York around 1983 by Mark Sonzogni and Tom
Stoenner. Both had previous worked at Stissing Hollow
Craft Works in Pine Plains (New York) under glassblower John
Gilmore. According to a 1983 article about the studio in
the The Gazette Advertiser (Rhinebeck, NY), they made most of
their own equipment and used recycled glass left over from other
factories or studios. They exhibited at the American Craft
Council (ACC) Craft Fair in West Springfield, MA in 1984.
Tundra Glass closed after about ten years. Tom Stoenner was originally from
Long Island. He has a degree in English and history from
Hamilton College and was was a weaver before he decided to learn
and concentrate on glass blowing. He currently has his own
studio Tom Stoenner Glass in the Hudson Valley. Mark Sonzogni previously
worked in stained glass and apprenticed in hot glass with John
Gilmore. He was originally from New Jersey. The most
recent information I could find is that he operated Lizaville
Glass in Red Hook, NY. Very Large Size: 3 1/8" diameter by 3 1/8"
high. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/18/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3374 | Three Small Murano Millefiori Paperweights with Fish and Heart
Canes. circa 1960-1980. Colorful millefiori
paperweights from Murano with fish and heart canes. Three
different designs. The blue weight has seven stylized heart
canes. The yellow weight has seven fish canes. The red
weight has eight heart canes. Two of the paperweights have the
original House of Goebel label. The yellow paperweight does
not have a label, but I have seen identical paperweights with the
label, so it is from the same maker. Note: All three paperweights have minor nicks and scratches. I am offering them for a bargain price. These paperweight were made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. I believe the House of Goebel is an importer but have been unable to find any additional information. Small Size: All three are small, ranging from just
under 2" to just over 2 1/8" diameter and from 1 1/2" to 1 3/5"
high. The bottoms are ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightsSOLD. Added 2/17/2018 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4447 | Small Antique Thuringia or Silesia Bohemia Concentric
Millefiori Paperweight. Circa 1870 - 1940.
Colorful antique paperweight with colorful millefiori canes arranged
in a concentric pattern over a multicolored frit ground. The
complex millefiori canes are arranged in two rings around a central
cane. They repeat in alternating patterns to make up the
design with 21 canes in all. There are some wonderful complex
canes in this paperweight. An interesting example of a type of
weight that is becoming more in demand as collectors learn more
about the various Bohemian factories and eastern Germany
factories. The glass is grayish. This is a relatively
rare item. The maker of this paperweight is unknown, except that it is believed to originate in the region along the Czech - German border, hence the label Bohemian. Similar paperweights have are on display in the museum in Lauscha and are identified as being from Lauscha in Thuringia. The area was part of Bohemia prior to WWI. Similar examples can be found in the book by von Brackel, Paperweights: Historicism - Art Nouveau - Art Deco - 1842 to Today See pages 90-95 and figure 507 on page 221. Small Size: 2 1/16" diameter by 1 7/16" high. The
base is ground flat with a matte finish. There is a small
crack remaining from the pontil mark in the center. The
glass is grayish. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large pictureSOLD. Added 2/17/2018 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . (dl-boh-ant) Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4463 | Unusual Murano Paperweight with Scene of Gondolier in
Venice. circa 1960 - 1980. This unusual
paperweight features a scene of Venice, Italy painted in enamel on a
blue plaque. There is a gondolier with his gondola out in the
grand canal with the buildings of Venice in the background.
Seagulls and waves provide additional detail. The painting is
signed "A. LEO". The paperweight does not have a label but I
am certain it was made on the island of Murano in Venice. Note: This paperweight has several areas with scratches. No chips or cracks. I show the worst of the areas of damage in the two pictures with red arrows. This paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by 2 9/16" high.
The base has been ground flat. This paperweight has a high
profile typical of Murano paperweights. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/16/2018 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4488 | Vintage Pairpoint Miniature Faceted Footed Concentric
Millefiori Paperweight with label and signature. circa
1970s. This is a miniature footed concentric millefiori
paperweight. It has a tiny concentric pattern on a robins-egg
blue ground. The paperweight is footed and faceted with four
side facets and a top facet. I believe this paperweight dates
from the early 1970s when William Burchfield was still at Pairpoint.
It has the Pairpoint signature "P inside a diamond" mark on
the base and also a remnant of a Pairpoint label.
Pairpoint Glass has a long history extending back to its earliest origins with Mount Washington Glass in 1837. Owners and locations changed a number of times and the name Pairpoint was first used in the 1890s. The original Pairpoint companies were located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1938, it was reorganized as Gunderson Glass Works by owner Robert Gunderson and later renamed the Gunderson - Pairpoint Glass Works in 1952. The name was acquired by Robert Bryden and the company moved briefly to East Wareham, MA in 1957 where it operated as the Pairpoint Glass Company. They leased production facilities in Spain. The last New Bedford factory burned down in 1965. In its latest iteration, Robert Bryden moved Pairpoint to Sagamore, Massachusetts in 1970. It continues to operate at that location today with new owners. William Clark Burchfield started making paperweights at Pairpoint Glass in Sagamore, Massachusetts in 1970. He left in 1976 to form the Cape Cod Glass Works (also in Sagamore) which continued in operation until 2000. It then continued briefly in Crossville, Tennessee until 2001. Bill Burchfield died in 2012. Bill's son Mark was also at the glass works until 1998. Miniature Size: 1 3/4" diameter by 1 1/2"
high. It is 1 7/16" wide across the facts. The foot is
ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 2/16/2018 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4771 | Orient & Flume 1983 Magnum Compound Double Layer Floral
Arrangement Paperweight with Signature Cane and Certificate.
dated 1983. This wonderful paperweight features a compound
arrangement of three different sized of flowers. The flowers
have millefiori centers. There are two large burgundy colored
flowers with complex millefiori centers, three medium sized
turquoise flowers, and nineteen smaller flowers, of which seven are
white, eleven are blue, and one is a green O&F signature / date
cane "OF 83". There are also green and brown vines and stems
which wrap around to the base. A shiny white ground provides a
contrast. It is an interesting construction with a multitude
of lampwork on two layers. It is signed on the base "Orient
& Flume CW 15 M 1983". There is also a remnant of the
Orient & Flume label on the base and it comes with its original
certificate with the registration number "CW 15 M 1983" and
description "Crystal Cased Double Layer Floral". The designer
is designated as "Studio". A great early paperweight from
Orient & Flume. Orient & Flume was started in
1972 in Chico, California by Douglas Boyd and David
Hopper. It studio took its name from its initial location
which was at the corner of Orient & Flume. Their early
weights adopted a style that has become known as the California
style of iridescent paperweights with surface torchworked
art nouveau motifs on the outside surface of the weight.
Later work involved interior lampworked designs such as the
floral design found encased here. Every Orient & Flume
piece has a registration number which usually includes a date
code. Very Large Size: Just over 3 1/4" diameter by 2
11/16" high. The bottom has been ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large pictureSOLD. Added 2/16/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4354 | William Manson Phoenix Paperweights Limited Edition FP10
Concentric Millefiori Paperweight. Dated 2003.
This paperweight has a complex millefiori design with three
concentric rings of cogged millefiori around a central cane with a
gold star center. The each of the 17 canes in the third ring
also has a gold star in the center. Each of the eleven canes
in the second ring has a red star in the center. Outside of
the three concentric rings, there are twelve panels of 1-1
millefiori, each separated by a dark blue and white twist. The
design is set on a glittery dark green translucent ground.
This paperweight was issued in a limited edition of 75 paperweights
of which this is number 40. It is signed and numbered "PHOENIX
2003 40/75" on the base. There is also a distorted cane on the
base that may be a "PP" signature cane, but I cannot be sure.
A rare paperweight.
Phoenix Paperweights was a small company started by William Manson Sr. to engage three workers from Perthshire after Perthshire closed in January 2002. They only lasted a year and issued paperweights in 2002 and 2003 before closing in August 2003. Phoenix operated in the Manson works in Perth, Scotland. The glass workers were William Manson Sr., David McNichol (paperweight maker), Duncan Smith (lampworking), and Gordon Taylor (glass cutter). Some of the lampwork was also done by Rosette Fleming. The 2003 Phoenix catalog lists William Manson Paperweights as the distributor. Size: Just over 2 5/8" diameter by just under 1 3/4"
high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$195 postage paid in the US. Added 2/11/2018. For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4501 | Very Early Magnum Robert Eickholt Hearts and Vines Surface
Decorated Paperweight. dated 1980. This is
an unusual early paperweight by Robert Eickholt. While
Eickholt is best known for his shimmering blues and veiled designs,
this paperweight features a surface decorated hearts and vines
design with two purple hearts and intertwined brown vines on a
brilliant white ground. It is signed "R. Eickholt 1980" on the
base. The signature is hard to read. This is one of the
earliest paperweights by Robert Eickholt. Robert Eickholt has been making glass paperweights since 1978 when he founded Eickholt Glass in Columbus, Ohio. His designs often make use of precious metals such as gold and silver, and rare oxides such as cobalt and copper. In later paperweights by Eickholt the design moved to the interior and veiling techniques began to appear. He retired from full time glassworking in 2013, but still creates beautiful glass on a part time basis. Very Large Size: 3 1/8" diameter by 3" high.
The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/11/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4492 | Wonderful Cape Cod Glass Works 1996 Scramble Apple
Paperweight. dated 1996. Colorful
scramble figural paperweight in the shape of an apple packed with a
variety of twist canes. The apple is complete with stem
and leaf. It is signed with a signature cane in the design
"CCGW 96". An amazing paperweight with multiple layers of
twists.
The Cape Cod Glass Works was operated by William Clark Burchfield in Sagamore, Massachusetts from 1976 to 2000. It then continued briefly in Crossville, Tennessee until 2001. Bill Burchfield died in 2012. Bill's son Mark was also at the glass works until 1998. Bill started making paperweights at Pairpoint Glass in 1970. Although many people collect scramble paperweights for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each factory. Medium Size: 2 1/2” diameter by 2 3/8”
high. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/11/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4870 | Perthshire PP42 Concentric Millefiori Paperweight Scent
Bottle. Circa 1980 - 1989. Perthshire scent
bottle with a concentric design five rings of millefiori around a
central complex P signature cane. The rings are, starting from
the inside, blue, red, blue, green, and red. The outer red
ring is difficult to see as it hides in the curvature of the
bottle. The design is placed over a translucent green
ground. The stopper has four pastel colored twists. This
design was made from 1980 to 1989. This is a great example. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Size: 5 7/8” tall by just under 2 11/16”
diameter. The bottle by itself is just over 3 3/8” tall by
just under 2 11/16” diameter. The stopper is 3 3/8” long by
just over 13/16” diameter. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the bottle$175 postage paid in the US. Added 2/9/2018. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4913 | John Deacons Concentric Millefiori Thistle Paperweight Inkwell
Bottle. circa 1990 - 2000. This millefiori
bottle with a thistle in the top and base was made by John Deacons,
probably between 1990 and 2000. The bottle has four rings of
blue and pink-orange millefiori over a cobalt blue ground. The
stopper has three rows matching the three outer rows of the
base. Both the top and the bottle are signed in the center
with John Deacons' complex thistle cane. There is a paper
label with a thistle and "HANDMADE IN SCOTLAND by John Deacons" on
the base. The stopper fits snugly. A great bottle.
The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. John Deacons learned his craft at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland in 1967. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there for 10 years before leaving in 1978 to start his own glass studio. He has produced paperweights and other glass objects under a variety of labels, including J Glass, St. Kilda, and now under his own name. The St. Kilda line was produced from 1978 or 1979 through 1987. You can read about John Deacons in the book by Hall - Scottish Paperweights. Size: Just over 2 1/2" diameter by 4 3/8" high with
the stopper. The bottle is just over 2 1/2" diameter by 2
11/16" high. The stopper is 1 3/4" diameter by just under 2
7/16" long. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/9/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1091 | Rare John Deacons Large Dated 2000 Millefiori Scramble
Paperweight with Name Canes. dated 2000.
This is a colorful scramble made by John Deacons. It contains
a very nice quilted arrangement of millefiori canes, including
complex canes and three name canes. The name canes are
"TERRY", "ALAN" and a third that I can't read. There is a
"JD2000" signature cane in the design. And there is a paper
label with a thistle and "HANDMADE IN SCOTLAND by John Deacons" on
the base. A fun item from this talented artist. Although many people collect scramble paperweights for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each factory. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. John Deacons learned his craft at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland in 1967. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there for 10 years before leaving in 1978 to start his own glass studio. He has produced paperweights and other glass objects under a variety of labels, including J Glass, St. Kilda, and now under his own name. The St. Kilda line was produced from 1978 or 1979 through 1987. You can read about John Deacons in the book by Hall - Scottish Paperweights. Large Size: 3" diameter by just under 2 1/4"
high. The base is ground concave although the ground portion
is not a perfect circle. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight $195 postage paid in the US. Added 2/7/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3746 | Large Caithness 2003 Undying Love - Birds Paperweight.
circa 2003. This Caithness paperweight depicts two birds
courting in the air. The birds are painted or set in frit on a
white ground. Viewed from the side the ground is blue and
white and wraps around to the base. There is a large bubble
above the birds that magnifies the effect. The paperweight is
signed on the base "Caithness UNDYING LOVE Scotland" along with a
registration number "A15362". It was designed by Helen
MacDonald and issued in 2003 as part of the "Blue and White
Treasures Series." This design is listed on page 310 of the Charlton Standard Catalog of Caithness Paperweights, 2nd Edition. It was designed by Helen MacDonald and issued in 2003 as part of the "Blue and White Treasures Series." The Original Issue Price was $95 in the US and £45 in the UK. Caithness Glass was founded by Robin Sinclair in Wick in north eastern Scotland in 1961. The factory did not start making paperweights until 1962 when Paul Ysart joined Caithness. Colin Terris joined Caithness in 1968 and started the modern line of paperweights in 1969. A second factory was opened in Oban in 1969 and the Perth factory opened in 1979. In 1980, Caithness purchased the Whitefriars name and designs. More recently Caithness recently went through a number of changes of ownership. After going into receivership in 2004, it was purchased by Edinburgh Crystal, but went into receivership again in 2006. Finally, it was bought out of receivership by Dartington Crystal. The factories in Wick, Oban and Perth all closed and were replaced by a smaller operation and visitors' center in Crieff. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by just over 2 3/4"
high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/7/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 698 | Large Perthshire PP58 Faceted Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1997-2002. A large
patterned millefiori paperweight with 10 sections of floral
millefiori canes over an opaque green ground. The central
design consists of two rings around a central signature cane.
This paperweight dates from 1997 or later when Perthshire changed
the PP58 pattern to have more than just a top facet. Each
paneled section has a 1-1-2-3 pattern of millefiori canes and is
bordered by multi-colored twists The paneled sections are surrounded
by an outer ring of twists and then an outer ring of canes. It
is signed in the center with Perthshire's "P' signature cane and
also has a paper label "PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF
SCOTLAND". It is faceted with a top facet and five side
facets. A stunning paperweight with great color.
Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Large Size: 2 3/4" in diameter by 1 9/16"
high. The bottom is ground concave. It is faceted with
a top facet and five side facets. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/4/2018. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3442 | Magnum Whitefriars 1980 Pattern 9894 Blue Swirl Abstract
Paperweight. circa 1980. This paperweight
has a distinctive swirl pattern created by picking up colored cane
pieces. There are elongated bubbles all around the side and a
single bubble in the center on top. Typical heavy Whitefriars
lead crystal. This is pattern 9894. It is unsigned and
does not have its original paper label. Note: The Whitefriars Paperweights Collectors Guide by Brian Slingsby and Judy Taylor refers to this style of abstract as "Bubble and Streaky", but I prefer to call them swirls. Bubble and Streaky came in four styles and a variety of colors and were made in the 1978 to 1980 time frame. Modern Whitefriars paperweights are prized by collectors for their high quality glass and millefiori designs. The limited edition paperweights with mosaic canes are especially sought after. The name Whitefriars Glass dates from sometime in the 1600s. The original site had been occupied by a community of Carmelite monks known as White Friars, hence the name taken by the glass company. Some sources state that at least a portion of the company operated under the name of James Powell and Sons from 1834 to 1962. Other sources state that the Whitefriars name was used from 1680 to 1980. Limited production of millefiori paperweights and other millefiori items started some time in the 1930s and first appeared in the 1938 catalog. Millefiori items were made using English full lead crystal (33% lead oxide). It is difficult to associate specific paperweights with this production. After 1945, they made colored glass and bubble design paperweights until the modern millefiori production started about 1951. Even then relatively few designs were produced until the 1970s. In 1980, Whitefriars glass went out of business. After Whitefriars Glass was liquidated, Caithness Glass purchased the rights to the name and produced paperweights under the Whitefriars name for awhile. For a long time, collectors believed that English paperweights and inkwells dated 1848 and similar undated items were made by Whitefriars. The dates, however, are false dates and have been traced to production at Arculus and Walsh-Walsh in the 1920s and 1930s. Most paperweights referred to as old Whitefriars or antique Whitefriars were, in fact, made by other factories such as Richardson, Arculus, Walsh-Walsh,or one of the unidentified Old English factories. When the maker can not be identified, it is best to call them Old English paperweights and not associate them with Whitefriars. Very Large Size: 3 1/4" diameter by 2 1/2"
tall. The bottom is ground concave. This paperweight
is heavy and weighs just under two pounds. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/4/2018. For more information about Whitefriars and other paperweights from England,see my English Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3344 | Peter McDougall Small Spaced Complex Millefiori
Paperweight. Design from Peter McDougall consisting of
19 different complex millefiori canes over an almost opaque black
ground. The pattern can be called a concentric, but most
collectors would refer to this as a spaced millefiori design.
A crisp design with perfect execution. It is signed on
the bottom with a complex cane made from four separate letter canes
forming the signature PMcD and also has a paper label "PMcD Glass
Studio LTD, Handmade in Crieff Scotland." The pictures do not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Size: Just over 2 1/8” diameter by just under 1
1/2” high. The pictures do not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/4/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4686 | Magnum Colorful Michael Harris (Isle of Wight Studio Glass)
Swirl Paperweight. circa mid 1970s. Wonderful
swirl paperweight made by Michael Harris at the Isle of Wight Studio
Glass. Swirls of multiple colors surround a brilliant blue
core. It is signed on the base with the left hand flame pontil
mark. Note: The flame pontil mark, with the flame part on the left hand side, was used by Isle of Wight Studio Glass, Kerry Glass, St. John's Glass (Isle of Man), and possibly others. This makes a firm attribution difficult. Ron Wheeler of Artius Glass, an expert in Isle of Wight glass, provided the attribution that this paperweight was almost certainly made by Michael Harris at Isle of Wight Studio Glass during the mid 1970s. Ron Wheeler also stated that the colors are typical of the random swirl colors used by Michael Harris. Isle of Wight Studio Glass was established in 1973 by one of the founders of the British Studio Glass Movement, Michael Harris (1933 – 1994). Michael graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1959 and later became an RCA tutor, setting up hot glass facilities there in 1967. The following year he founded Mdina Glass in Malta, remaining there until 1972, when he moved back to the UK. In 1973, with his wife Elizabeth, he founded Isle Of Wight Studio Glass, in Old Park, St Lawrence where it continued until his premature death in 1994. The glass studio continued to operate under the guidance of his son Timothy Harris until 2012. In 2014, the studio was re-established in a new location in the Arreton Barnes Craft Village, near Newport on the Isle of Wight with assistance from Michael's brother Richard Harris and Ron and Ann Wheeler of Artius Glass. Timothy Harris and his mother Elizabeth continue to operate the studio. Another son of Michael and Elizabeth Harris, Jonathan Harris established Jonathan Harris Glass in Ironbridge, Shropshire in 1999. Very Large Size: 3 1/4" diameter and just under 3
1/4" high. The bottom is fire finished with a left hand
flame pontil mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight $125 postage paid in the US.
Added 2/2/2018. For more information about paperweights from England, see my English Paperweights Web Page.
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| 4689 | Colorful Vertical Paperweight from Unknown Factory. This
is fun item. A vertical paperweight with three colorful green
and blue spheres separated by spacers of clear glass. It is
not signed and I have no idea where it was made. A fun
paperweight from an unknown maker. Size: 2 1/16" diameter by 3 1/4" tall. The
base is finished flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 1/28/2018 For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4649 | Antique Miniature Baccarat Type III Pansy
Paperweight. circa 1900-1920. Baccarat Type
III Pansy paperweight with leaves, sepals, and stem. It
consists of two large velvet purple petals above over three lower
petals. The lower petals are amber yellow over a white base
which can be seen from the back. Each lower petal has a purple
tip and three dark lines radiating from the central cane consisting
of star canes with a red whorl center. Probably from the Dupont
period, this miniature size paperweight has a Baccarat star cut on
the base. A wonderful paperweight.
Note: This is probably from the Dupont period of production, but is very well executed and may, in fact, be earlier. See discussion below for details on the three primary periods of Baccarat production. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat continued to make paperweights after the classic period (1845-1860), but little is known about the extent of the product line or who made the paperweights. It is known that by 1910, the offering in the catalog had dwindled to pansy paperweights, simple open concentric paperweights, and rock paperweights. Popular lore attributes 1920-1934 Baccarat paperweights to a Mr. Dupont, who supposedly was the last worker at Baccarat to know the secrets of paperweight making. These paperweights were sold at a Baccarat retail shop in Paris. No collector or scholar ever met Mr. Dupont although at least one visited the Baccarat factory and asked to meet with him. The weights stopped appearing in the shop in 1934. New research of the Baccarat archives has identified the actual maker as Joseph Boyé (1877-1948). He is recorded as the maker of millefiori canes and millefiori paperweights during this period (1920-1934). Very little is known about Mr. Boyé, but there is enough similarity in the millefiori canes to suggest that he had access to the original molds or some of the original millefiori canes from the classic period. He later trained another glassworker, Georges Brocard, to make open concentric paperweights in 1946. Armed with this knowledge, Brocard was influential in the revival of paperweight making at Baccarat in the 1950s. Another glassworker, Louis Idoux (1882-1941), is recorded as making the Baccarat pansy paperweights during the 1920-1934 period. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights and the Dupont connection in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Miniature Size: Just over 1 13/16" diameter by just
under 1 5/16" high. The bottom is ground concave with
a Baccarat star cut on the base. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$245 postage paid in the US. Added 1/28/2018 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat
Paperweights
Web Page. (dl-bac-ant) Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4496 | Interesting Dick Slater Multi Layer Abstract Paperweight.
Probably 1980s to 2000. This is an interesting abstract
paperweight signed "Slater" in script on the base. The
textured inner design appears to have been applied in layers over a
clear core. Probably made in the 1980s or 1990s based on the
collection it was in when I purchased it. The base is fire
finished with remnants of the pontil mark (including a chip)
remaining. I found numerous examples of paperweights, goblets, and vases made by the Berkeley artist Dick Slater, but no biographical information. The only mention of him is in a 18" x 24" poster titled "Berkeley Art Glass" in the library collection of the Corning Glass Museum. This poster or catalog mentions Dick Slater along with other well known Berkeley artists. I have not seen the original document. Some collectors and sellers have attributed this paperweight and similar paperweights to Aaron Slater, a marble maker working in Maine. Aaron Slater has stated that he did not make this paperweight. He stated that there was another American glass worker named Slater "working at the furnace in the Northern California area" who made goblets and I was able to find goblets with the same signature and appearance. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by 2 1/4" high.
The base has the remnant of the pontil mark is fire
finished. There is a chip on the base from where the pontil
was broken off. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/28/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4676 | Large Early Selkirk 1979 Electra Abstract Paperweight. dated
1979. This paperweight has an abstract design reminiscent
turbulent green waters with a copper colored center. There are
five large waves or fingers each with a large copper coated bubble
and also a larger clear bubble in the center with a streamers of
tiny bubbles spiraling from it. Many smaller bubbles complete
the design. It is signed in script on the base "SELKIRK GLASS
SCOTLAND ELECTRA 1979". It also has a worn paper label
"SELKIRK GLASS HANDMADE IN SCOTLAND". A colorful paperweight
in excellent condition.
Selkirk Glass founded in 1977 by Peter Holmes and Ron Hutchinson. Peter apprenticed under Paul Ysart at Caithness from 1963 and continued at Caithness until 1977. Ron Hutchinson was also at Caithness. Selkirk produced a wide range of paperweight styles including abstract, lampwork and millefiori paperweights. The company was located in Selkirk, Scotland in the Borders Region. At some point they were purchased by Edinburgh Crystal and remained in operation until 2006. . Peter Holmes started his glass working career at Caithness Glass (Scotland) in 1963 as an apprentice to Paul Ysart. He continued at Caithness until 1977, when he and Ron Hutchinson left Caithness to start Selkirk Glass. Peter left Selkirk in 2002 to start Scottish Borders Art Glass with his son, Andrew, at Galalaw, Hawick. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Large Size: 3" diameter by 2 5/8" high. The bottom
is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/28/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4963 | Rare Vasart / Lassman Checquer Pattern Millefiori Paperweight
Handle Bottle Opener. circa 1950s-1960s. This
bottle opener has a rare checquer pattern on the millefiori
handle. It is possibly unique. The firm of Lassman &
Co. designed and produced this bottle opener opener and a variety of
other useful objects during the 1950s and 1960s. The
attractive millefiori paperweight handle was made by the Ysart
family of Scotland under the Vasart label. The handle has a
checquer design with nine millefiori canes arranged in a square
surrounded by a latticinio square made up of four short twist
canes. There is a millefiori cane in the each corner of the
latticinio. The design is set on an amber colored opaque
ground. The chrome plated opener was made by Lassman and the
assembly was also done by them. The maker of this item was Lassman & Co. located in the Kilburn area of North London. Samuel Lassman purchased the paperweight handles from George Dunlop's Pirelli Glass in London. Pirelli obtained them from Vasart. Pirelli also took some assembled inventory back from Lassman and sold the barware items under the Pirelli label. Pirelli also included the line in their 1959 catalog. For more information, see my web page on Lassman & Co. or the article by Angela Bowey and Allan Port “Pirelli, Vasart and the Ysart Family” in the Paperweight Collectors Association Inc. Annual Bulletin 2015. A complete set of similar objects can be found at this link. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Size: 1 1/2" diameter. With the opener
hardware, it is 3 15/16" long. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the bottle opener$245 postage paid in the US. Added 1/26/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2518 | Peter McDougall (PMcD) Miniature Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. This miniature paperweight consists of a
paneled millefiori pattern of amber, red, and pink colors on a
translucent blue ground. There are six panels arranged around
a central millefiori cane. The panel dividers are white
complex latticinio twists. This style has a 1 + 2 pattern of
canes plus a ring of canes around the center cane. It is
signed on the bottom with a complex cane made from four separate
letter canes forming the signature "PMcD". It also has a paper
label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Hand Made in Crieff Scotland."
Great color and precise execution. The pictures do not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Miniature Size: Just under 1 13/16” diameter by 1
5/16” high. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/26/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4487 | Early Pairpoint Faceted Quatrefoil Millefiori Paperweight,
including rose canes. circa 1970. This paperweight
features a millefiori garland with four loops over a translucent
blue ground. The millefiori are primitive but one of the loops
is made up of an early version of Pairpoint's Clichy style rose. The
paperweight is faceted with four flat side facets and a flat top
facet. This is an early example of Bryden Pairpoint's early
efforts to make millefiori paperweights. The result is crude
but it represents a significant milestone. This paperweight
has no label or signature. Although primitive, this is an
interesting historical addition to your Pairpoint collection.
Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Pairpoint Glass has a long history extending back to its earliest origins with Mount Washington Glass in 1837. Owners and locations changed a number of times and the name Pairpoint was first used in the 1890s. The original Pairpoint companies were located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1938, it was reorganized as Gunderson Glass Works by owner Robert Gunderson and later renamed the Gunderson - Pairpoint Glass Works in 1952. The name was acquired by Robert Bryden and the company moved briefly to East Wareham, MA in 1957 where it operated as the Pairpoint Glass Company. They leased production facilities in Spain. The last New Bedford factory burned down in 1965. In its latest iteration, Robert Bryden moved Pairpoint to Sagamore, Massachusetts in 1970. It continues to operate at that location today, with new owners in 2015. Large Size: 2 5/8" diameter by 1 11/16" high.
The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/23/2017 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4685 | Large Magnum Kosta Wärff Abstract Bubble Cylinder
Paperweight. Circa 1970 - 1976. This is very nice
Swedish art glass paperweight designed by famous glass artists Göran and Ann Wärff for Kosta
Glasbruk. The cylinder shaped paperweight is mostly clear
crystal with a bubble center made up of many small and large
bubbles. Signed on the base "Kosta 97045 Wärff". It also
has a partial Kosta label on the side. It is a very striking
and bold paperweight. Note: I believe the second and third digits "70" in the style number "97045" identifies 1970 as the year of the design. This is consistent with the years that Göran and Ann Wärff were at Kosta. From the mark on the base and also the label, the paperweight was made before 1976 when the name changed to Kosta Boda.
Kosta is one of the oldest glass companies in the world. Kosta Glasbruk was founded in 1742 in Smaland, Sweden by Anders Koskull and Georg B. Stael von Holstein. In 1976 the glassworks of Kosta, Boda and Åfors merged to form Kosta Boda AB. In 1989, Kosta Boda and Orrefors merged to form Orrefors Kosta Boda AB. Ownership changed in 2005 with the purchase of the glassworks by the New Wave Group which decided to close the Orrefors glassworks in December 2012. After that, all glass production was done under the KostaBoda brand label. Göran and Ann Wärff studied industrial design at a Bauhaus influenced school in Ulm Germany. They worked at the Pukeberg glassworks in Sweden and then in 1964 they joined Kosta Boda. In 1968, Ann and Göran Wärff shared in the Lunning Prize. Their work was a joint venture, and was occasionally signed Görann. They separated in 1972. She then adopted the name Ann Wolff. After 10 years of helping define a style with his innovative designs and processes at Kosta Boda, Göran took leave for Australia, then England, where he worked and taught. He returned to Kosta Boda in 1984. Very Large Size: 2 1/4" diameter by 4 1/4"
high. The base is ground flat. The paperweight weighs
just under two pounds (30 ounces). For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$85 postage paid in the US. Added 1/22/2018 For more information about paperweights from other countries, see my Paperweights from Other Countries Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2357 | Peter McDougall Small Checkerboard Paperweight with Complex
Canes. This paperweight features 21 different
millefiori canes, thirteen of them complex canes, over an almost
opaque dark purple / black ground. The millefiori canes are
arranged in a checkerboard pattern with stringers of light blue
glass defining the checkerboard. A great example of this
popular design.
The pictures do not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Small Size: 2 1/8” diameter by 1 1/2” high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/21/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4687 | Cut Crystal Paperweight from Unknown Factory, possibly made by
Klokotschnik. circa 1980s. This is a large heavy
crystal paperweight with extensive faceting and cuttings. I
believe at least some of the facets are cut crystal. It is not
signed, but I have seen similar items made by Klokotschnik Glashütte
in West Germany. A fun paperweight from an unknown maker. Note: I don't know anything about the Klokotschnik company except that similar items have labels that say "GLASHÜTTE MANUFAKTUR - KLOKOTSCHNIK - 30% Bleikristall mundgebl handgeschl". Collectors have told me they purchased these items from the now defunct House of Tyrol in Georgia, an importer that specialized in selling gifts and collectibles from Germany and Austria. The House of Tyrol closed in 2003 after more than 25 years. I welcome corrections to this information. Large Size: 3" diameter by 3" tall. The base
is finished concave with a flat shoulder. The entire surface
is faceted. It is heavy and weighs 26 ounces. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/21/2018 For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4688 | Dramatic Egg Shaped Floral Paperweight from Daum in
France. undated. This egg shaped
paperweight features a gold foil fan shaped stylized flower with
large bubble in the center. The stem is gold and black and the
design is above a clear bubble ground. A very modern creation,
it is signed "Daum France" in script near the base. Excellent
condition. Some very faint scratches on the base, but no other
chips, cracks or scratches. A dramatic paperweight.
Daum Frères was founded in 1878 in Nancy, France by an attorney named Jean Daum, when he took over a glass factory in lieu of repayment on a debt. The company's product line has gone through many iterations since and this egg shaped paperweight is a modern product, produced sometime after 1970. It is not in the current catalog. The company still manufactures art glass in downtown of Nancy and a nearby village Vannes-le-Châtel. Everything is handmade. There are more than 600 Daum Art Glass items in the Daum Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy (Nancy Musée des Beaux-Arts) that documents the history of glass manufacturing from the 1880s through the 1990s. Medium Size : 2 1/4” diameter by just ever 3 1/16"
high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. 1/21/2018. For more paperweights from France and other countries, see my Other Countries Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4503 | David Lotton 1995 "Confetti" Millefiori Macédoine
Paperweight. dated 1995. This paperweight by
David Lotton features a quilt-like pattern of tightly packed short
millefiori sections. Signed on the base with David Lotton's
signature and 1995. Note: The Macédoine is a distinctive style of millefiori paperweight in which the short sections of millefiori or latticinio are arranged in a quilt-like pattern, often with many of the sections at right angles to each other. In the case of Baccarat, there are usually no millefiori present, but the word can be applied to millefiori paperweights as well. David Lotton is a second generation American glassblower. He is the oldest son of Charles Lotton and was introduced to the world of glassblowing at a very young age. In 1970 Charles started building a furnace and began blowing pieces of glass from melted down pop bottles in a shed behind their house. David was there in this infancy and he was Charles first assistant at the age of ten. David has vivid memories of his childhood working in the shop with his father. By the age of 14 he started learning how to do finishing work, polishing the bottom of the glass flat. David eventually followed in his fathers' footsteps and by the age of 15 began making paperweights. That ignited a passion to begin glass blowing. Although David has his own studio in Lowell, Indiana, he often creates his glass art at his father's studio in Crete, IL or with his son Jeremiah in Cedar Lake, Indiana. Charles Lotton began experimenting with paperweight and vase production in a backyard shed in late 1970 in Lynwood, Illinois. At the time he was a successful hair stylist, salon owner, and a collector of glass. From the beginning, he was determined not to reproduce styles made previously. He developed his own formulas for creating glass colors and pioneered the technique of surface decoration. In 1971 he developed the King Tut design. His paperweights are not finished on the bottom and show a rough pontil mark near the script signature. Since 1973 he has worked full time in glass production. Large Size: Just over 3 1/8" diameter by just over
2 1/8" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/21/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4871 | Perthshire PP15 Magnum Faceted Millefiori Paperweight
Inkwell. 1969 -1994. This is a magnum faceted
millefiori inkwell with a close packed arrangement of complex
millefiori canes in both the bottle bottom and the stopper, each
with a translucent blue ground. There is a complex "P"
signature cane in the stopper setup. It also has a Perthshire
paper label "PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF SCOTLAND" on the
base. This bottle is faceted with two rows of facets.
Each row has four large oval facets and four slightly smaller oval
facets, for a total of sixteen facets. The stopper has a top
facet plus eight side facets, four large oval facets and four
smaller oval facets. A magnificent very large inkwell from
Perthshire that makes a statement. The PP15 was made from 1969 to 1994. There was some variation in size and features over the years. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Very Large Size: 6" high with the stopper by 3 3/4"
diameter. The stopper is just over 2 3/8" diameter by 2"
long. The base is ground concave. This bottle is
faceted with a total of sixteen side oval facets. The
stopper is faceted with a top facet plus eight oval side
facets. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the inkwell$475 postage paid in the US. Added 1/15/2018 For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4502 | Rare Vintage Magnum Henry Davis Frit Paperweight of
Flower in Flowerpot. circa 1970s.
The paperweight features a five petal red flower with a long green
stem and blue pleated flowerpot. The design is rendered in
frit (ground glass) over a clear crystal ground. At the
bottom, there is a pleated blue flowerpot. There is a
controlled bubble at the tip of each petal (although one of the
bubbles is away from the tip). There is also an outer layer of
controlled bubbles. The paperweight is signed on the base with
a pontil stamp "HD WV" for Henry Davis Wheaton Village. A
pleasing design that is well executed. Great color. This design is sometimes called an icepick flower design because an icepick type tool is pushed down through the colored layer to create the stem for the flower. The design is made by placing the red frit (ground glass) in a metal template, then picking it up with a gather of clear glass. An icepick like tool is then used to create a stem and the bubbles at the ends of the petals. Henry Davis was a well known paperweight maker at Wheaton Village in Millville, New Jersey. He worked there throughout the 1970s and retired in 1984. Magnum Size: Just over 3 9/16" diameter by 3 3/8" high.
The base is fire finished with a pontil signature stamp. The
paperweight weighs 35 ounces (2 pounds 3 ounces). For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/15/2018 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4873 | Rare Perthshire 1993-1997 PP83 Faceted Teardrop Shaped
Millefiori Paperweight Inkwell. 1993-1997. This
teardrop shaped paperweight inkwell has a paneled millefiori pattern
in the bottom of the bottle. There is a central complex "P"
signature cane surrounded by a ring of canes in the center, then
seven panels of canes consisting of a small cane and a larger
complex cane, each panel separated by a short twist cane.
Another ring of small canes is on the outside. The foot is a
translucent blue. The stopper has a single pink lampwork
flower with six petals and three sepals. There is a complex
"P" signature cane in the center of the flower. The ground of
the stopper is a translucent blue. This bottle has complex
faceting with three rows of faceting each with six facets. The
top has six side facets and a top facet. A stunning inkwell
from Perthshire with a graceful design and complex faceting. The PP83 was made in two designs from 1985 to 1997. This teardrop form with a flower in the stopper was made only from 1993 to 1997. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Large Size: 6 1/4" high with the stopper by just under 2
5/8" diameter. The foot is 2 1/4" diameter. The
stopper is just over 1 9/16" diameter by 2 1/8" long. The
base is ground concave. This bottle has complex faceting
with three rows of faceting each with six facets. The top
has six side facets and a top facet. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the inkwell$395 postage paid in the US. Added 1/14/2018 For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4834 | Large Josh Simpson Inhabited Planet Paperweight.
dated 2017. The basic theme of the inhabited
planet series is that a new planet has been discovered with
interesting features inviting exploration. There is a light
blue ocean swimming around green continents, forest filled
mountain ranges and possibly inhabited cities. Interesting,
possibly man made, structures require further exploration.
There is a striped spaceship with an iridescent blue vapor trail
on its way to investigate. This is a work of astonishing
depth and intricate beauty. Josh Simpson has been making magical glass objects including paperweights for over 40 years. He has long had a fascination with space exploration and is married to Astronaut Cady Coleman. He is a graduate of Hamilton College and has his own glass studio in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. He focuses on creating objects with a range of color, form, contrast, iridescence, tessellating patterns and complexity. There is a great book Josh Simpson: Glass Artist by Andrew Chaikin. I recommend it highly. Please ignore the white areas in the picture caused by the light. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by 2 13/16" high. The
base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$245 postage paid in the US. Added 1/14/2018 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4323 | Rare Vintage Magnum John Degenhart Butterfly
Paperweight. circa 1946 - 1964. This is a
rare, early Degenhart butterfly paperweight. It features a
large butterfly with blue spotted wings and black body flying over a
multi-colored frit ground. The wings have four red spots and
two green spots. The body has red eyes. Unsigned with an
unfinished pontil mark, but I guarantee this paperweight was made by
John Degenhart. Examples of this paperweight are found in the two references on Degenhart paperweights. One example is shown on page 99 of the book Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. In American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1970), there is a picture on page 49. As described in the Melvin book, the butterfly is crafted of solid [clear glass] crystal and coated with fine glass (i.e., colored frit glass). It differs from frit butterflies made by other glass artists in that the design is not set up in a mold. Instead the three dimensional butterfly wings and body are coated with frit. The picture does not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Charles and John Degenhart started their careers in glass working in glass at the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Company factory in Findlay, Ohio. Charles, born in 1882, started first and then John, born in 1884, started at the age of ten in 1894. In 1901, both joined Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, Ohio. The original paperweight production was an after hours activity at Cambridge Glass by Charles and his two sons in the 1920s. John also produced paperweights to help meet the demand. This was with the approval of the company. Of the two, Charles Degenhart was the more skilled artistically. John retired from Cambridge Glass in 1946 and opened the Crystal Art Glass Company shortly after that. Most of the early production was devoted to paperweights. The factory also produced pressed glass novelties in an incredible range of colors. After John died in 1964, his wife Elizabeth took over production. Prior to that, the paperweights were unsigned. There was also a close association with Zack Boyd and his son Bernard, both of whom worked at Crystal Arts. Today in Cambridge, the Boyd family continues to run Crystal Arts. For more information, you can read about the Degenharts in the books American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 and 1970) and Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. Very Large Size: 3 1/8" diameter by 2 5/8"
high. The bottom is fire finished although the remnants of
the pontil mark remain. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$245 postage paid in the US. Added 1/4/2018 For more information about paperweights made by Degenhart Glass in Cambridge, Ohio, see my Degenhart Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3969 | Unsigned Glass Eye Studio Pink and Silver Spiral Paperweight -
Possible Andromeda Series Second. circa about 2005.
This paperweight features a sparkly iridescent interior pink
and silver spiral design. There is a single facet revealing a
view of the distant galaxy. There are two bubbles near the
center of the spiral representing bright stars at the center of the
galaxy. This paperweight is unsigned and has two tool marks
near the facet. For that reason, I am calling it a second ---
an inferior example that was not intended to be signed. Still,
it is a fun paperweight with great color. Note: The pictures show a green sparkle that is not apparent in the paperweight. This appears to be a reflection of the silver color that is there. Glass Eye Studio was founded in 1978 in Seattle, Washington. Managed by Dale Leman, GES is a production glass company that produces a range of glass products. Most paperweights are signed with the acid etched initials GES, although some are signed with the engraved Glass Eye Studio signature or even a signature cane. Each GES glass product includes some ash from the 1980 eruption of the nearby Mount St. Helens volcano. Medium Size: Just over 2 3/8" diameter by 2 5/16"
tall. There is an angled facet showing the interior
design. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 12/30/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4508 | Dramatic FM Marcolin Art Crystal (Sweden) Sfumato Technique Egg
Paperweight. circa 1983-1988. This
dramatic egg paperweight demonstrates the excellence of Marcolin's
use of the sfumato technique to create a smokey feathered
appearance. The paperweight was designed by Josef Marcolin and
made by FM Marcolin in Sweden. It is signed on the base
"Marcolin Sweden M513-80", indicating the designer (Josef Marcolin),
Style (513), and height in millimeters (80). It also has a
foil label "GENUINE HANDMADE IN SWEDEN - FM MARCOLIN ART CRYSTAL -
FULL LEAD CRYSTAL - OVER 24% PBO". A dramatic example. Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. . FM Marcolin Art Crystal or FM
Marcolin Konstglas was founded Sweden in 1961 by two Italian
brothers, Josef and Benito Marcolin. They learned
their glass making skills on the island of Murano, Venice, and
later worked at Reijmyre before starting their own
company. FM stands for Färe-Marcolin. The
company went through several name changes as they moved from one
location to another, including "FM Konstglas, Eneryda", "FM Konstglas, Ronneby",
and then "FM
Konstglas / Marcolin". "Konstglas" is Swedish
for "Art Glass". The company changed its name to FM
Marcolin Art Crystal in 1983, and in 1988-89 changed again to
Marcolin Art Crystal. The Swedish factory closed in 1991,
and production was moved to Sardinia, Italy. The Marcolin
brothers left and went their separate ways, Benito moved back to
Sweden, while Josef moved to Austria and continued production
under the name Marcolin Art Crystal, which is still operating
today. The term Sfumato originated in
painting. Leonardo da Vinci described the technique as
blending colors, without the use of lines or borders "in the
manner of smoke". In glass, it is the use of a smokey
bubbled texture to create a soft feathered or quilted
appearance. Marcolin often used sfumato on bird
figurines. Large Size: 2 1/4" diameter by 3 3/8' high. The bottom
ground flat. Although the signature indicates the size as 80
mm, but this example is 85 mm high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 12/30/2017 For more paperweights from other countries, see my Other Countries Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1822 | Peter McDougall (PMcD) Medium Clichy Style Swirl with Flower
Paperweight. circa 2003-2006. This
paperweight features a large blue flower in the center of a Clichy
style swirl paperweight. The flower has five striped petals
with a nice white millefiori center. The swirls wrap around to
the bottom of the paperweight. It is signed on the bottom with
a complex cane made from four separate letter canes forming the
signature PMcD. This paperweight does not have a paper
label. This is a hard to find design. Peter offered this
design only from 2003-2006.
Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glassmaking career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Size: 2 7/16" diameter by 1 3/4' high. The bottom ground
concave.. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$145 postage paid in the US. Added 12/28/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4613 | Magnum Victorian Sulphide Paperweight of two Hands Shaking
(unknown maker). circa 1880-1920. This large
paperweight features a sulphide of a two hands shaking. The
sulphide is placed on a multi-colored frit ground. The maker
of this paperweight is unknown but most likely it originates from a
factory in Europe or Bohemia. Unfortunately there is terrible
sugaring or striations in the glass making it difficult to see the
sulphide design. The surface is in great shape, but that
doesn't help much. There is a remnant of the pontil mark on
the textured base. An interesting addition to any collection
of antique paperweights. Sulphides are cast objects (animals,
flowers, people) made of a ceramic material that has properties
similar to the surrounding glass. They are normally white,
but are also sometimes colored or even painted. The
objects are cast in a mold that copied or made directly from a
medallion, coin or sculpture. The finest French sulphides
are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. Often a
sulphide will have a silvery appearance due to a thin layer of
trapped bubbles between the glass and the sulphide itself. Very Large Size: 3 3/8” diameter x 2 1/4”
high. The bottom is textured and finished concave.
There is a remnant of the pontil
mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 12/28/2017 For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3970 | Magnum Sulphide Paperweight of a White Dove by unknown maker
(signed LH). 1950s or later. This very large
paperweight features a sulphide of a white dove over a transparent
green and brown ground. It is all white with the exception of
painted black eyes and a yellow beak. The paperweight has a
pontil stamp LH or HL. It has been suggested that this
paperweight was made either by Leo Hamon (Ohio or West Virginia) or
a St. Clair worker or family member (Indiana). While I don't
know the maker, I am confident that it is from the midwest US.
Note: In his Dictionary of Glass Paperweight Signature Canes, Andrew Dohan suggests that the "LH" signature might be Leo Hamon. I've seen other pieces by Leo Hamon and they are signed differently, but it is possible that he used more than one pontil stamp. I've also seen the same dove in signed Joe St. Clair pieces, so it is possible that this paperweight was made by a family member or worker at one of the St. Clair factories. Sulphide Paperweights are those that
contain cast objects (animals, flowers, people) made of a
ceramic material that has properties similar to the surrounding
glass. They are normally white, but are also sometimes
colored or even painted. The objects are cast in a mold
that copied or made directly from a medallion, coin or
sculpture. Often the object is surrounded by a millefiori
or lampwork garland, but it may also appear alone. The
finest sulphides are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. Very Large Size: Over 3 3/4" diameter by 3 1/2"
high. The bottom is finished flat and hot stamped in the
center with the "LH" mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 10/15/2017 For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3968 | Joe St. Clair Multi-Colored Icepick Flower Paperweight.
circa 1960-1980. This medium to large sized paperweight
features five colorful ice-pick flowers over a white chipped glass
ground. The ice-pick flowers are yellow, white, green, pink,
and blue. As is typical of this style, there is a carefully
placed bubble in the center of each flower and also a carefully
placed bubble in the ground in between each flower. It is hot
stamped "JOE ST CLAIR" on the bottom. A very flashy
paperweight. This style of flower is called an ice-pick flower because of the ice-pick like tool used to push each flower down to the ground to form a stem. The St. Clair line (as far as paperweights are concerned) started with John "Pop" St. Clair, Sr. who worked at the George MacBeth Glass Works in Elwood from around 1903 to 1938. Local natural gas production faltered in 1938 and the St. Clairs began to develop their ideas for a new business of their own. Joe St. Clair (1909 - 1987) did the original experimentation and the business was formally started in 1941 in Elwood, Indiana. John, Sr. and the brothers John, Jr., Joe, Ed and Bob all participated, while another brother, Paul, did not at first. By 1944 St. Clair paperweights were being sold through Georg Jenson on Fifth Avenue in New York. Joe retired (the first time) in 1971 and sold the factory to new owners in Elwood, Indiana. Sometime later, the new owners of the original factory sold the factory back to Joe. For a while, there were two St. Clair factories, one owned by Joe and the other owned by Bob St. Clair. Size: 2 11/16" diameter by 2 1/2" high. The
bottom is finished flat and hot stamped in the center with the
signature. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$75 postage paid in the US. Added 12/28/2017 For more information about paperweights made by the St. Clair factory, see my St. Clair Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4495 | Medium Vasart or possibly early Strathearn Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1950-1960. This colorful
paperweight consists of a paneled millefiori pattern with seven
sections of 1+1+2 millefiori patterns each separated by a latticinio
cane with a red, white and blue center twist. There is a
central ring of seven pink and white millefiori canes and then a
center millefiori cane. There is also a white millefiori cane
at the inner end of each twist. The canes are early Scottish
millefiori canes on an opaque orange ground. This is a
very nice example. A great addition to any collection of
Scottish paperweights. Note: It is often difficult to attribute early Scottish paperweights when the choices are Vasart or Strathearn. The usual distinguishing characteristic is whether or not the millefiori canes stand proud ... stand above the ground layer. This is because Strathearn had a glory hole permitting reheating the paperweight as the surface is worked smooth, Vasart did not. In this case, based on the early canes that do stand above the layer of the ground, I have attributed the paperweight to Vasart. I recognize, that it is also possible that this is an early Strathearn example. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. The new company was owned by Teachers Whiskey. The factory was taken over by Stuart Glass in 1980, and renamed Stuart Strathearn Ltd. Production ceased in 1992. Medium Size: 2 1/2” diameter by just over 1
3/4” high. Bottom is fire polished. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 12/28/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3331 | Peter McDougall (PMcD) Small Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. This paperweight consists of a paneled
millefiori pattern of blue, red, and white colors on an opaque black
ground. There are six panels arranged around a central complex
millefiori cane. The panel dividers are white complex
latticinio twists with a blue, green, and white twist in the
center. This style has a 1 + 2 pattern of canes plus a ring of
canes on the outside. It is signed on the bottom with a
complex cane made from four separate letter canes forming the
signature "PMcD". It also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio
LTD, Hand Made in Crieff Scotland." Great color. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Small Size: 2 1/4" diameter by just over 1 9/16"
high. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 11/19/2017. For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4658 | Rare Strathearn P4 Turquoise Orchid Paperweight.
circa 1965-1979. This paperweight is Strathearn's P4 Orchid
Paperweight. Although I would describe it as a tulip,
Strathearn called it an orchid and described it as "an opening bud
encased in clear glass." It was made in three colors,
Turquoise, Madder (a reddish/pink color) and Sepia (a brownish/tan
color). It has six petals and three stamens. There is no
label. A great addition to any collection of Scottish
paperweights.
Special thanks to Richard More's Strathearn website for providing the background information on this paperweight. According to Richard More, the P4 always had three stamen and had a flat base. The Perthshire PP9 is similar but has a looser design. Some early examples vary and have a grayish cast to the glass. See number 4213 on this page for a red (madder) example with one stamen, grayish glass, and a concave base. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. The new company was owned by Teachers Whiskey. The factory was taken over by Stuart Glass in 1980, and renamed Stuart Strathearn Ltd. Production ceased in 1992. Large Size: Just over 2 7/8” diameter by 2
9/16” high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 11/18/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3804 | Rare Vintage Magnum Frit Paperweight of Flower in
Flowerpot by John D. Murphy. circa
1969. The paperweight features a five petal red and yellow
flower with three green sepals in a crisp white flowerpot. The
entire design is rendered in frit (ground glass) over a clear
crystal ground. The paperweight is signed "J Murphy" on the
flat finished base and signed a second time "JM" in green frit next
to the sepals within the design. An amazingly precise
three-dimensional design executed entirely in frit. It has
wonderful color. Note: The flower and coloration are reminiscent of the designs of Ed Rithner, but the paperweight is larger than most Rithner paperweights. John D. Murphy, born in 1938, worked at Fostoria Glass in Moundsville, West Virginia. He invented his own techniques for making paperweights and also conferred with other glass workers, particularly John Gentile. Because paperweights were an off hours activity, his output was extremely limited. He is included in Jean Melvin's book American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers (revised 1970). Magnum Size: Just over 3 3/4" diameter by 2 3/16" high.
The base is polished flat. The paperweight weighs 36 ounces
(2 pounds 6 ounces) For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$125 postage paid in the US. Added 11/12/2017 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2640 | Large Baccarat 1975 Limited Edition Sea Horse
Paperweight. dated 1975. This is a limited
edition Baccarat Sea Horse Paperweight from 1975. The
paperweight has a wonderful yellow and brown lampwork sea horse in
the ocean depths wrapping its tail around a green underwater
plant. There are green, red and white colored rocks scattered
along the bottom on both sides of the sea horse. The
ground is a translucent turquoise color with bubbles added for an
underwater life scene effect. It is signed in the design with
a Baccarat signature cane "B 1975" and also signed on the bottom
with the Baccarat logo. Perfect execution and perfect
condition.
This is a hard to find Baccarat paperweight. This design was produced only in 1975 in a limited edition of 260 paperweights. This is number 148 in that series. There is a signature cane B 1975 shown in the pictures. The bottom has the acid etched Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1975), the number (148) and the size of the series (260). Please ignore the white areas in the picture caused by the light. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Large Size: 3" diameter by 2 1/4" high. Bottom
is ground slightly concave. Made by Baccarat in France in 1975. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSome sellers on eBay sell this for the full retail price of $2,563, but my price is much lower. $695 postage paid in the US. Added 11/12/2017 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4640 | Huge Magnum Kosta Wärff Green and Blue Bubble Abstract
Paperweight. Circa 1968 - 1976. This is very nice
Swedish art glass paperweight designed by famous glass artists Göran and Ann Wärff for Kosta
Glasbruk. It features a green and blue center core covered by
many small and large bubbles. The rest is clear crystal.
Signed on the base "Kosta 96899 Wärff". It also has a label on
the side "Handmade Kosta Sweden". It is a very striking and
bold paperweight. Note: I believe the second and third digits "68" in the style number "96899" identifies 1968 as the year of the design. This is consistent with the years that Göran and Ann Wärff were at Kosta. From the mark on the base and also the label, the paperweight was made before 1976 when the name changed to Kosta Boda.
Kosta is one of the oldest glass companies in the world. Kosta Glasbruk was founded in 1742 in Smaland, Sweden by Anders Koskull and Georg B. Stael von Holstein. In 1976 the glassworks of Kosta, Boda and Åfors merged to form Kosta Boda AB. In 1989, Kosta Boda and Orrefors merged to form Orrefors Kosta Boda AB. Ownership changed in 2005 with the purchase of the glassworks by the New Wave Group which decided to close the Orrefors glassworks in December 2012. After that, all glass production was done under the KostaBoda brand label. Göran and Ann Wärff studied industrial design at a Bauhaus influenced school in Ulm Germany. They worked at the Pukeberg glassworks in Sweden and then in 1964 they joined Kosta Boda. In 1968, Ann and Göran Wärff shared in the Lunning Prize. Their work was a joint venture, and was occasionally signed Görann. They separated in 1972. She then adopted the name Ann Wolff. After 10 years of helping define a style with his innovative designs and processes at Kosta Boda, Göran took leave for Australia, then England, where he worked and taught. He returned to Kosta Boda in 1984. Very Large Size: Just under 3 3/4" diameter by just
under 3 1/2" high. The base is ground flat. The
paperweight weighs three pounds (48 ounces). For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 11/11/2017 For more information about paperweights from other countries, see my Paperweights from Other Countries Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3189 | Dramatic Large Peter McDougall Patterned Millefiori
Paperweight. This paperweight consists of a paneled
millefiori pattern of wonderful blue, reddish-brown, and white
millefiori canes on a black ground. There are nine panels with
a 1-1-2-3-3 pattern and a large complex millefiori cane in the
center. It is signed on the bottom with a complex cane made
from four separate letter canes forming the signature PMcD and also
has a paper label. A wonderful paperweight with great
color.
Note: The label was put on upside down - not aligned with the signature cane. In addition, the signature cane is at an angle as shown in the picture of the base. Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glassmaking career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Large Size: Just over 2 15/16" diameter by 1 15/16"
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 11/9/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2973 | Magnum Steven Lundberg Lundberg Studios Brown Angelfish and
Anemones Compound Paperweight. dated 1996.
This paperweight by Steven Lundberg features two large striped brown
angelfish swimming inside an aquatic scene of brown and white
anemones. One angelfish is swimming out in the open while the
other angel fish is hiding behind the green and brown twisted reeds
that fill the scene. You can the eyes of the second fish in
the some of the pictures. This is a compound composition and
is very three dimensional with layers of lampwork over an opaque
black ground. Signed and dated on the side near the base
"Steven Lundberg - Lundberg Studios 1996 110680". It also has
a Steven Lundberg "SL LS" signature cane on the base.
Excellent condition. A wonderful paperweight.
The Lundberg Studios current price list includes other paperweights of this size for a $924 price. Steven Lundberg paperweights are no longer offered by the Studio, since he left in 1997 and has since passed away. In 1970 James Lundberg founded a small "backyard" studio Nouveau Glass in San Jose, California. He was joined by his brother Steven Lundberg, Daniel Salazar, David Salazar, and several other glass artists. The first paperweights were made in 1972. They were known for their surface decorated designs and torchwork and later for their lampwork. In 1973 the firm was renamed Lundberg Studios and moved to Davenport, California. James died in an accident in 1991. Steven left Lundberg Studios in 1997 and set up his own studio. He died from ALS in 2008. Although in later years, each paperweight produced at Lundberg Studios was signed and dated by the studio and signed by the artist, the earliest paperweights did not have the artists signature. Please ignore the white areas in the picture caused by the light. Very Large Size: 3 3/4" diameter by 2 7/8"
high. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 11/7/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4654 | Magnum Rosenthal Studio-Linie Bubble Glass Paperweight probably
1970s. circa 1971 or later. This wonderful
Rosenthal paperweight features a cosmic image of a solar system
with six bubbles arranged around a central bubble. Below
the central bubble is another smaller smaller bubble. All of
these bubbles are arranged in a cloud of tiny bubbles over a clear
crystal ground. It is acid etch marked in reverse on the base
with the Rosenthal logo and Studio-Linie underneath without the
usual Rosenthal country of origin. Rosenthal was founded in 1879 as a family business. Originally the focus was porcelain manufacture and porcelain painting. In 1960, the Rosenthal Studiohaus was opened in Nuremberg and in 1965 the name was changed briefly to Rosenthal Glas & Porzellan AG and then in 1960 to Rosenthal AG in 1969. From 1997 to 2008, the Rosenthal AG owned most of the British-Irish Waterford Wedgwood Group. The Studio-Linie mark was used from 1971 to at least 1995. Since the Rosenthal mark on this paperweight does not identify the country of origin (normally Germany), it is possible that the paperweight was made at Waterford, but I have no evidence one way or the other. Very Large Size: 3 3/16" diameter by 2 15/16"
tall. The base is ground flat. It weighs 25 ounces. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$67 postage paid in the US. 11/7/2017. For more paperweights from other countries, see my Other Countries Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4588 | Peter Raos Vincent Van Gogh Paperweight Perfume Bottle. dated
1995. This wonderful perfume bottle was made by Peter Raos in
New Zealand. It is part of his Vincent Series of paperweights
and perfume bottles and features a Van Gogh type impressionist
design of brightly colored millefiori flowers over a watery green
ground. The very long slender stopper is a reminiscent of a
green vine. It is signed at the base "Raos 1995 New
Zealand". This is a hard to find item. Peter Raos works as a glass artist in Devonport, New Zealand since starting his studio in 1979. He is a graduate of the University of Auckland Elam School of Fine Arts and Design. Size: 4 1/2” tall by just over 2 1/2” diameter with
the stopper. It is 3 3/8" tall without the stopper.
The stopper is 2 3/4" long by 7/8" in diameter. The base is
partially finished with some remnant of the pontil mark and a hole
in the center. The stopper fits loosely. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the bottleSOLD. 11/5/2017. For more paperweights from other countries, see my Other Countries Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3966 | Rare Peter McDougall (PMcD) Miniature Eight Pointed Star
Scramble Millefiori Paperweight. This miniature
paperweight features a scramble or end of the day design and is
finished as a eight pointed star. The ground is black.
It is signed in the design with a complex cane made from four
separate letter canes forming the signature PMcD (as shown in the
close-up). It also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD,
Hand Made in Crieff Scotland." I am calling this a rare example
because it was not part of Peter McDougall's standard
offering. He had a six pointed star that was similar and a
small scramble finished as a round paperweight, but I could not find
this eight pointed star in his offerings. This is called a pressed weight because a mold is used to form the shape. The top is flattened. Although many people collect scramble paperweights for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each factory. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Miniature Size: Just over 2" diameter by 1 3/16"
high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 11/5/2017. For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 456 | Vintage Magnum John Degenhart "MELVIN C. PEARL" Name Plaque
Paperweight. circa 1950 - 1964. This is a
classic, later style Degenhart paperweight with "MELVIN C. PEARL" on
a rectangular white enamel plaque with a border of decorative
flowers. The plaque is placed on a multi-colored frit ground
with a second layer of frit ground below. There is an
icepick flower (two pink, two red) in each corner of the plaque with
a controlled bubble in the center of each. John Degenhart made
the paperweight. The name plate or plaque was decorated by Ray
Bichard. A perfect example from the Degenhart factory.
This style paperweight is shown on page 97 in the book Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. The Degenhart Museum acquired the example in the book in 1963. The picture does not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Charles and John Degenhart started their careers in glass working in glass at the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Company factory in Findlay, Ohio. Charles, born in 1882, started first and then John, born in 1884, started at the age of ten in 1894. In 1901, both joined Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, Ohio. The original paperweight production was an after hours activity at Cambridge Glass by Charles and his two sons in the 1920s. John also produced paperweights to help meet the demand. This was with the approval of the company. Of the two, Charles Degenhart was the more skilled artistically. John retired from Cambridge Glass in 1946 and opened the Crystal Art Glass Company shortly after that. Most of the early production was devoted to paperweights. The factory also produced pressed glass novelties in an incredible range of colors. After John died in 1964, his wife Elizabeth took over production. Prior to that, the paperweights were unsigned. There was also a close association with Zack Boyd and his son Bernard, both of whom worked at Crystal Arts. Today in Cambridge, the Boyd family continues to run Crystal Arts. Ray Bichard decorated the name plates, scenes, and other designs for the Degenhart Factory. He also worked for Tom Mosser at Variety Glass, also in Cambridge. For more information, you can read about the Degenharts in the books American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 and 1970) and Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. Magnum Size: Just under 3 1/4" diameter by 2 7/16"
high. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 10/22/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Degenhart Glass in Cambridge, Ohio, see my Degenhart Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4817 | Large Early 1983 Orient & Flume Greg Held Translucent
Surface Decorated Orchid Paperweight. dated
1983. This wonderful surface decorated paperweight features a
large, richly colored orchid with leaves and stem placed on the
surface of a translucent golden ground. It is signed with an
Orient & Flume complex millefiori signature cane "OF 83" in the
design and is also signed on the base "Orient & Flume 43 AT 1983
L. Held". A great early paperweight from Orient &
Flume. A wonderful design. Note: The artist's name is Greg Held. I suspect someone else at O&F was signing these paperweights as the script matches other Held paperweights correctly signed G. Held. Orient & Flume was started in 1972 in Chico, California by Douglas Boyd and David Hopper. It studio took its name from its initial location which was at the corner of Orient & Flume. Their early weights adopted a style that has become known as the California style of iridescent paperweights with surface torchworked art nouveau motifs on the outside surface of the weight. Later work involved interior lampworked designs such as the floral design found encased here. Every Orient & Flume piece has a registration number which usually includes a date code. Greg Held was a senior artist at
Orient & Flume in Chico, CA. He passed away in his
forties in 1999. Large Size: 2 7/8" diameter by just 1 7/16"
high. The bottom has been ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large pictureSOLD. Added 10/22/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2055 | Vintage Magnum Pinehurst NC Name Plaque
Paperweight possibly by Charles Degenhart. circa
1920 - 1940. This Pinehurst NC paperweight is in the style of
early Degenhart paperweights, with the name written in a fancy dark
green script on a white enamel plaque. The borders of the
plaque are decorated in dark green depicting tall and short
grass. At each corner of the plaque there is a small icepick
flower (resembling a red golf tee) pushed down to the brightly
colored frit ground below. I believe this paperweight is the
work of Charles Degenhart, the older of the two Degenhart
brothers. The town of Pinehurst, North Carolina is best known as the home of the Pinehurst Golf Resort, home of many prestigious golf competitions. I don't know if the paperweight was connected with the golf resort or just the town, but the motif of the name Pinehurst surrounded by tall grass and short grass suggests an association. Charles and John Degenhart started their careers in glass working in glass at the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Company factory in Findlay, Ohio. Charles, born in 1882, started first and then John, born in 1884, started at the age of ten in 1894. In 1901, both joined Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, Ohio. The original paperweight production was an after hours activity at Cambridge Glass by Charles and his two sons in the 1920s. John also produced paperweights to help meet the demand. This was with the approval of the company. Of the two, Charles Degenhart was the more skilled artistically. John retired from Cambridge Glass in 1946 and opened the Crystal Art Glass Company shortly after that. Most of the early production was devoted to paperweights. The factory also produced pressed glass novelties in an incredible range of colors. After John died in 1964, his wife Elizabeth took over production. Prior to that, the paperweights were unsigned. There was also a close association with Zack Boyd and his son Bernard, both of whom worked at Crystal Arts. Today in Cambridge, the Boyd family continues to run Crystal Arts. For more information, you can read about the Degenharts in the books American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 and 1970) and Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. The picture does not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Magnum Size: 3 5/16" diameter by 2 1/2" high.
The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$135 postage paid in the US. Added 10/22/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Degenhart Glass in Cambridge, Ohio, see my Degenhart Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4300 | Perthshire PP14 "F" Limited Edition
Faceted Millefiori Cluster Paperweight. Dated
1974. This paperweight consists of five pink and white complex
millefiori cane clusters each with a green and white center cane
surrounding a central blue and white cane cluster set on a clear
ground. Each cluster has six complex canes plus the center
cane. The central cluster contains the letter F for
1974. There are tiny green florets in the center of each outer
cane of all six clusters. It has a large top facet, five side
facets, and a flat, polished, star-cut base.
The PP14 was made in a limited edition each year from 1969 to 1994. The 1969 edition was signed with an "A", 1970 was signed with a "B", and so forth. This is the only series that Perthshire made in a complete series from A to Z. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Medium Size: 2 1/2" diameter by 1 1/2" high.
Faceted with a large top facet and five side facets. The
base is polished flat with star cut. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$175 postage paid in the US. Added 10/20/2017 For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. The PP14s can also be found on a separate Perthshire PP14 Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2715 | Spectacular Peter McDougall Special 2009 Midyear
Collection Butterfly on Lace Paperweight. dated
2009. This paperweight features a lampwork butterfly with
stretched millefiori wings surrounded by a garland of eleven
complex millefiori canes. The design is set on a lace
ground. It is signed on the base with Peter's complex
signature and date cane "PMcD 09" and also has a paper label "PMcD
Glass Studio LTD, Handmade in Crieff Scotland." A nice well
balanced design with great color. This paperweight was one of the special annual editions made in only in 2009. It was designated Collection 2009 Midyear #6. Peter McDougall started his glassmaking career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Large Size: Just over 2 7/8" diameter by 2"
high. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/15/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1581 | Vintage Hand Painted Plaque Paperweight of Elk in Woods
- Possibly Bohemian. circa 1910 - 1939.
Vintage paperweight featuring hand painted scene with an elk in the
woods. The scene is painted on a white milk glass circular
disk or plaque near the top of the paperweight. The remainder
of the paperweight is clear. An interesting vintage
collectible. Peter von Brackel, in his book Paperweights Historicism Art Nouveau Art Deco 1842 to Present, shows a similar yet different paperweight on page 231 (figure 534). The paperweight in the book is different in that it is a frit design on a milk glass plaque. The paperweight in the book is attributed to Bohemia or Czechoslovakia or Bavarian Forest. Bohemian Glass generally refers to the glass made in the regions that form the border area between the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany. Most of these areas are now parts of the western Czech Republic. Large Size: 2 13/16" diameter by 1 7/16"
high. The base ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/15/2017 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2413 | Antique Bohemian Three Dimensional Pear Sulphide Paperweight.
circa 1880-1920. Antique sulphide paperweight featuring a
three dimensional pear sulphide. The sulphide is placed on a
transparent blue and green frit ground. The maker of this
paperweight is unknown but most likely it originates from a factory
in Bohemia. The pontil mark is partially finished. There
is an inventory number written on the base in black on white
paint. When purchased at auction, the auctioneer noted that it
came from a house museum in Newburyport, Massachusetts. The
surface is uneven and shows some tool marks. There are a few
minor condition issues, but the paperweight displays
beautifully. An interesting addition to any collection of
antique paperweights. Sulphides are cast objects (animals,
flowers, people) made of a ceramic material that has properties
similar to the surrounding glass. They are normally white,
but are also sometimes colored or even painted. The
objects are cast in a mold that copied or made directly from a
medallion, coin or sculpture. The finest French sulphides
are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. Often a
sulphide will have a silvery appearance due to a thin layer of
trapped bubbles between the glass and the sulphide itself. Bohemian Glass generally refers to the glass made in the regions that form the border area between the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany. Most of these areas are now parts of the western Czech Republic. Large Size: 2 5/8" diameter by 1 7/8" high.
The base is fire finished with part of the pontil mark
remaining. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/15/2017 For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page (tl-su-boh-ant) Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4819 | Large Early 1978 Orient & Flume Pink Dogwood Flowers with
Complex Millefiori Centers Paperweight.
dated 1978. This wonderful paperweight features three pink
dogwood flowers each with a complex millefiori center. There
are green and brown vines and stems and also surface decorated
outlines of leaves incorporated in the design, both of which wrap
around to the base. A light green "rock-like" ground provides
a contrast. It is an interesting construction with both
lampwork and surface decoration. I don't know which O&F
artist designed or made this paperweight, but it is definitely
early. It is signed on the base "Orient & Flume C51 May
1978". A great early paperweight from Orient & Flume. Orient & Flume was started in
1972 in Chico, California by Douglas Boyd and David
Hopper. It studio took its name from its initial location
which was at the corner of Orient & Flume. Their early
weights adopted a style that has become known as the California
style of iridescent paperweights with surface torchworked
art nouveau motifs on the outside surface of the weight.
Later work involved interior lampworked designs such as the
floral design found encased here. Every Orient & Flume
piece has a registration number which usually includes a date
code. Large Size: 2 15/16" diameter by just under 1 1/2"
high. The bottom has been ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large pictureSOLD. Added 10/15/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2020 | Vasart / Lassman Millefiori Paperweight Handle Bottle Opener
with Original Box. circa 1950s-1960s. The firm of
Lassman & Co. designed and produced this bottle opener opener
and a variety of other useful objects during the 1950s and
1960s. The attractive millefiori paperweight handle was made
by the Ysart family of Scotland under the Vasart label. The
handle has a concentric design on a rust colored ground that matches
the setup and canes of other Vasart paperweights. The chrome
plated opener was made by Lassman and the assembly was also done by
them. This item comes with its original box and celluloid
cover. The box is fabric lined (the original advertisements
said "silk lined") with elastics to hold the bottle opener in
place. A rare find for collectors of barware and Scottish
paperweights. The maker of this item was Lassman & Co. located in the Kilburn area of North London. Samuel Lassman purchased the paperweight handles from George Dunlop's Pirelli Glass in London. Pirelli obtained them from Vasart. Pirelli also took some assembled inventory back from Lassman and sold the barware items under the Pirelli label. Pirelli also included the line in their 1959 catalog. For more information, see my web page on Lassman & Co. or the article by Angela Bowey and Allan Port “Pirelli, Vasart and the Ysart Family” in the Paperweight Collectors Association Annual Bulletin 2015. A complete set of similar objects can be found at this link. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Size: Just over 1 1/2" diameter by just under 3
3/4" long. The box is just under 3" long by 2 11/16" wide by
2 9/16" high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the bottle opener$345 postage paid in the US. Added 10/8/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4875 | Perthshire Annual Collection 1976B Limited Edition Miniature
Overlay Butterfly Paperweight. circa
1976. This paperweight features a lampwork butterfly with
stretched millefiori wings inside a blue and white double overlay
with spiral side cuts. There are eight spiraling side cuts and
one larger top facet. It is signed with a "P" cane under one
wing. Although designated as a miniature by Perthshire, it is
actually larger than a true miniature and is 2 1/8" in
diameter. This paperweight was made in a limited edition of
500 paperweights of which a total of 488 were made with overlays of
red & white, blue & white, and green & white.
There is no paper label on this paperweight and I do not have the
original certificate. A nice well balanced design with great
color and a fancy cutting. Perthshire made this paperweight as one of their annual collection items. This means the design was made only that one year and never again. There were five annual collection designs in 1976, designated A through E. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Small Size: 2 1/8" diameter by 1 3/8" high.
The bottom is ground concave. The paperweight is faceted
with a top facet plus spiraling side facets. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$295 postage paid in the US. Added 10/7/2017. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2731 | Vintage Magnum Trumpet Flower and Lily Whimsy
Paperweight. circa 1920-1950. Great
magnum trumpet flower paperweight by unknown maker. The design
consists of a white five petal lily surrounded by a multi-colored
bouquet of five trumpet flowers or icepick flowers (red, yellow,
light blue, white and dark blue). The ground is clear.
There are six flowers in all each with a bubble in the
center. This has all the characteristics of a true
whimsy, made in spare time by a glass worker. I believe this
was made in the midwest US around the middle of the 20th
century. A very showy paperweight.
Note : The glass has many tiny bubbles in it. This design is sometimes called an icepick flower design because an icepick type tool is pushed down through the colored layer to create the stems for the flowers. Very Large Size: 3 5/16" diameter by just over 2
13/16" high. This paperweight weighs over 1 1/2
pounds. The bottom is finished flat with a remnant of the
pontil mark in the center. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/6/2017. For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2531 | Magnum Baccarat 1972 Gridel Series Squirrel Concentric
Millefiori Limited Edition Paperweight. dated
1972. This modern close concentric millefiori paperweight
features a large white squirrel silhouette on a black background in
the center surrounded by five rings of complex millefiori
canes. One ring contains all eighteen Gridel figures.
The white ground is a made up of latticinio twists. The
paperweight is signed with Baccarat's complex signature cane "B
1972" in the fourth ring from the center. It also has an acid
etched Baccarat mark on the base along with the year (1972) and
edition number (503). This design was released in 1971 and continued into 1972 in a limited edition of 1,200 pieces. This is number 503 in that series. There is a signature cane "B 1972" shown in the pictures. The bottom has the acid etched Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1972) and the number (503). In 1846 Baccarat introduced the popular Gridel figures in their closepack millefiori paperweights. It was named after Emil Gridel, the nephew of Jean-Baptiste Toussaint the general manager of Baccarat. Toussaint saw Gridel making paper cutouts of animals and saw an opportunity to incorporate these silhouettes in millefiori paperweights. From 1971 to 1979 Baccarat issued a modern Gridel series of millefiori paperweights based on eighteen Gridel figures. Each paperweight has a large Gridel figure in the center with smaller versions of all eighteen figures included in the design. There are variations in orientation and color as well as the types of canes in each design and it is possible to amass a very large collection covering just this series. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Very Large Size: Just under 3 1/8" diameter by 2
1/4" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/6/2017. For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4663 | Rare Large 1977 Dated Strathearn P6 Upright Red Flower on Red
Ground Paperweight. dated 1977. This very
attractive paperweight consists an upright five petal red flower
with three green leaves over a translucent red ground. This is
a very nice example. It is signed with a Strathearn signature
/ date cane "S 77" on the base. It also has worn paper label
"STRATHEARN HAND MADE IN SCOTLAND" on the base. A great
addition to any collection of Scottish paperweights.
The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. The new company was owned by Teachers Whiskey. It was the first UK glassworks fired on propane gas. They continued with the Strathearn name until 1980 when they were taken over by Stuart Crystal and renamed Stuart Strathearn. No paperweights were made after the merger. Large Size: Just under 4" high by just under
2 3/8" diameter. The bottom is ground
flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/6/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3198 | Spectacular Peter McDougall (PMcD) Large Closepack
Millefiori Paperweight. circa 2011.
Wonderful large paperweight with a closepack design featuring many
large complex millefiori canes over a pink and light blue frit
ground. It is signed in the design with a complex cane made
from four separate letter canes forming the signature PMcD. It
also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Hand Made in Crieff
Scotland" on the base. One of Peter McDougall's best
millefiori designs.
This style was also made in small and medium size weights. The picture does not do justice to this paperweight. Ignore the white areas, they are reflections and glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Large Size: Just under 3" diameter by 1 15/16"
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/6/2017. For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4228 | Unusual Medium Size Murano Scrambled Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1960 - 1970. Unusual
scrambled millefiori paperweight filled with yellow, turquoise, and
red millefiori canes and white, brown, white and aventurine
stringers. These are placed over a ground of all
stringers. Perhaps this was intended to be millefiori on top
and stringers in the ground and the design didn't turn out that
way. There is a foil label on the base "MURANO GLASS MADE IN
ITALY". An interesting paperweight.
Although many people collect scramble paperweights
for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for
learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each
factory. Medium Size: Just under 2 1/2" diameter by just
under 1 1/2" high. The base has been ground flat. This
paperweight has a low profile. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 10/6/2017 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4803 | Rare Rick Ayotte 2001 Artist's Proof / Study Piece Small Ruby
Throated Hummingbird with Orchid Paperweight. dated
2001. This small paperweight depicts a ruby throated
hummingbird in flight hovering near a large pink orchid. The
hummingbird's wings are a blur. Rick Ayotte has returned again
and again to create new variations on the hummingbird theme.
The book on his work published in 1997 shows six earlier paperweight
designs with this theme. This piece is an artist's proof and
as such should be viewed as a unique study piece. At 2 3/16"
diameter, it is larger than a true miniature which is usually close
to 2" in diameter. Currently on eBay there is also a larger
composition with the same theme, also labeled as an artists proof
2001. It is possible he made a regular series like this, but I
don't know if he did. It is signed "Ayotte AP / Study 2001" on
the near the base. A precious paperweight. The book Songs without Words: The Art of the Paperweight - Rick Ayotte was published in 1997, so this paperweight does not appear in the book. Six other hummingbird paperweights appear in the book including most in miniature. According to the book, "One also finds a number of rare artist proof miniatures. These study pieces were created in the process of mapping out a larger design." Roland "Rick" Ayotte specializes in paperweights with themes from nature, including lampworked bird and other animals, flowers, fruits, and berries. His paperweights range in size from miniatures to super magnums. He also produces other wonderful glass art objects. He lives and works in New Boston, New Hampshire and has been making glass paperweights since 1978. Small Size: Just over 2 3/16" diameter by 1 11/16”
high. The base has been ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/2/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3486 | Magnum Rare Antique 1890s Folk Art Lampwork Name Paperweight
"P. A. PREDLE". circa 1888-1912. This
"folk art" paperweight features a blue name plaque with the lampwork
name "P. A. PREDLE" in white capital lampwork letters bordered at
both ends by three lines forming a "crow's foot". Above and
below the name plaque are a total of seventeen colorful twist
canes. The construction has two levels with a frit lower level
as seen in the side views. The frit layer has five stems
pushed down to the base, each with a small bubble in the
center. There is an incompatibility crack at the edge of the
upper group of twists (shown in two pictures with arrows). Although this style of paperweight has been documented and is in a number of collections, the makers are not known with certainty. The total number of examples is small, probably less than 100 are known. Some paperweights of this style have two or three lines of text, others only a single line. The text may be a name, a place, or a date. There are different styles of lettering, of twist canes, and construction which suggests that several makers were involved. Some authors suggest that Ralph Barber his brother George Barber made some of them either in Millville or in Toledo. Some of the examples have names associated with Millville, or even have the word "Millville" in the design. Other examples have the word "Toledo". As a result, it has been suggested that workers at Libbey in Toledo made at least some of them. I have one with the name of a tavern owner in Corning. The long article by Stanley Kruger in the 2004 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association (pages 18-32) is the most comprehensive article on the subject to date. Kruger documented 28 different paperweights of this style and includes pictures of 26 of them. Most museums have no examples. This example "PREDDLE" is not included in the article, but is very similar to what Kruger calls Midwest - Group 1. In the book Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersey: An American Folk Art, Clarence A. Newell attributes a similar paperweight with the name "Kizzie Pepper" to Ralph Barber and devotes pages 71-73 discussing this and alternate attributions, such as Charles Pepper. We may never know who actually made these paperweights, but it is interesting to speculate. Very Large Size : Just over 3 5/8” diameter by just
over 2 78" high. The base is ground concave. The
base has considerable wear and remnants of the pontil mark.
Weighs just over two pounds. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$275 postage paid in the US. Added 9/23/2017. For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. (dl-va-a) Click on the picture to see a larger
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| 4958 | Magnum 1989 Baccarat Limited Edition Warbler "Fauvette sur fond
de ciel bleu" Paperweight. dated 1989. This
is a spectacular Baccarat Warbler paperweight with a three
dimensional warbler on a cherry branch with pink flowers. The
sky blue ground is placed over an opaque white base layer.
This paperweight has an unusual three dimensional construction in
that the lampwork bird and branches are placed in a "well" in the
glass which is visible when viewed from the side or at an
angle. It displays perfectly when viewed head on. The
paperweight is signed in the design with a millefiori signature cane
"B 1989" and also signed on the bottom with the Baccarat logo and
etched "49/200 1989". An outstanding paperweight.
This design was produced only in 1989 in a limited edition of 200 paperweights. This is number 49 in that series. There is a signature cane "B 1989"shown in the pictures. The bottom has the acid etched Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1989), the number (49) and the size of the series (200). Note: What I describe as unusual construction above may in fact be a manufacturing flaw. I have never noticed this technique before. Because of this, I have set the price lower than it should be.
Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall.Magnum Size: 3 1/4" diameter by just under 2 1/2"
high. Bottom is ground slightly concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/17/2017 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4355 | William Manson Phoenix Limited Edition FP13 Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. Dated 2003. This paperweight
has a paneled millefiori design with seven panels of 1-1-2-3
millefiori and an outer circle of millefiori on an opaque green
ground. The paperweight was issued in a limited edition of 75
paperweights of which this is number 25. It is signed and
numbered "PHOENIX 2003 25/75" on the base. Perfect
condition with certificate (#25/75) in the original (slightly torn)
Phoenix gift box. This is the domed example.
Phoenix Paperweights was a small company started by William Manson Sr. to engage three workers from Perthshire after Perthshire closed in January 2002. They only lasted a year and issued paperweights in 2002 and 2003 before closing in August 2003. Phoenix operated in the Manson works in Perth, Scotland. The glass workers were William Manson Sr., David McNichol (paperweight maker), Duncan Smith (lampworking), and Gordon Taylor (glass cutter). Some of the lampwork was also done by Rosette Fleming. The 2003 Phoenix catalog lists William Manson Paperweights as the distributor. Large Size: 2 7/8" diameter by just under 2" high. The
base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$195 postage paid in the US. Added 9/15/2017. For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2280 | Magnum Antique English Green Glass Bubble Dump Paperweight with
Footed Base. circa 1890-1920. Interesting antique
English bubble dump paperweight with a footed base. The
controlled bubble arrangement leads me to believe this is later than
other bubble dumps as it was created using a mold with a selected
pattern of spikes. It is in excellent condition for its age
with only a few minor scratches. Heavy wear on the base.
A small dimple on the top. Green glass paperweights, mantle ornaments and doorstops originated as early as 1820 and continued to be made as late as 1914. Often referred to as dumps, they are made from green and blue bottle glass in factories founded by John Kilner of Wakefield and other bottle makers in the Midlands and Northern regions of England. There are articles on this topic in 2002, 2003 and 2005 annual bulletins of the Paperweight Collectors Association. You can also read about them in Old English Paperweights by Robert Hall. These dumps can be found with internal bubble designs, well executed floral designs, sulphide inclusions, or colored flowers. Signed examples exist and command a premium price. Since they are made from bottle glass, these paperweights often show signs of rough handling with chips or internal fractures. Very Large Size: Just under 3 1/4" diameter by 5
5/16" tall. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight $185 postage paid in the US. Added 9/14/2017. For more information about paperweights from England, see my English Paperweights Web Page.
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| 3156 | John Deacons / William Manson, Sr. 2006 Strathearn Collection
Bouquet & Torsade Paperweight. dated
2006. This paperweight consists of a bouquet of four red,
blue, yellow, and white flowers with five leaves and stems placed on
a opaque pink ground. Each flower consists of five petals and
a complex millefiori center. The yellow flower has a star cane
in the very center. There is a wonderful blue and white
torsade surrounding the bouquet. The paperweight is one of a
collaborative series made by John Deacons and William Manson
Sr. It is signed on the base with John Deacons' "JD 2006"
signature cane and William Manson's "WM" signature cane. The
JD 2006 cane also has a green thistle with two green shamrocks just
below the JD. It is also marked "S19 12/25". A very
attractive paperweight.
In 2006, John Deacons and Willie Manson collaborated to make three sets of 12 paperweight designs or 36 designs in all. They were called the Strathearn Collection. Each design was a limited edition of 25 paperweights. Each weight was signed with the signature cane of both artists. This paperweight is designated S19 12/25, meaning it is the nineteenth design in the Strathearn Collection and is #12 of the limited edition of 25 paperweights. Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. John Deacons learned his craft at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland in 1967. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there for 10 years before leaving in 1978 to start his own glass studio. He has produced paperweights and other glass objects under a variety of labels, including J Glass, St. Kilda, and now under his own name. The St. Kilda line was produced from 1978 or 1979 through 1987. You can read about John Deacons in the book by Hall - Scottish Paperweights. Today John works with his son Craig at his own studio. William Manson, Sr. started his glass working career at Caithness Glass at the age of 15 in the 1960s. He apprenticed with Paul Ysart. Manson left Caithness in 1971 to work at Ysart's Harland Glass and rejoined Caithness several years later in 1974. He was at Caithness on and off between 1974 and 1997 when he left for good to form his own studio William Manson Paperweights. His son William Manson, Jr. started making paperweights alongside his father starting in 1992. For a brief period (2004-2006), William Manson, Sr. made collaborative paperweights with John Deacons. Large Size: 2 3/4" diameter by 1 11/16" high. The
bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/12/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4959 | Magnum Baccarat 1994 Pink Tulip "Tulipe jaspée" Limited Edition
Paperweight. dated 1994. This modern lampwork
paperweight features a three dimensional pink tulip with stem and
three leaves on an opaque green ground. The base is an opaque
white. This paperweight was made in a limited edition of 100
paperweights, of which this is number 14. The paperweight is
signed with Baccarat's complex signature cane "B 1994" placed near
the end of the stem. It also has an acid etched Baccarat mark
on the base along with the the edition size (100) and edition number
(14). This design was produced only in 1994 in a limited edition of 100 paperweights. This is number 14 in that series. There is a signature cane "B 1994 " shown in the pictures. The bottom has the acid etched Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1994) and the number (14). Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Very Large Size: 3 1/4" diameter by 2 1/4"
high. The opaque white base is ground
flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/11/2017. For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3646 | Antique New England Glass Company Scramble Paperweight with
Possible Museum Markings. c. 1860. This is a very nice
antique New England Glass Company (NEGC) scramble or end of day
paperweight. It is filled with an assortment of twist
canes in a variety of colors. It has possible museum markings
"NEGC C.1860 09-29" in white paint on the base. A great
example, although with substantial wear.
Although many people collect scramble paperweights for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each factory. New England Glass Company (NEGC) operated in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1818 to 1888. You can read about paperweights from the New England Glass Company in the book by Hawley, The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies . Size: Just under 2 3/8” diameter by 1 3/4”
high. The bottom is ground concave with remnants of the
pontil mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 9/10/2017 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4876 | Perthshire Uncataloged Rose and Bud Faceted Paperweight -
Possible Prototype 1980A. circa
1980. This rose and bud paperweight appears to be a prototype
for the 1980A Annual Collection weight. It has a pink lampwork
rose on the right and bud on the left with two leaves and a
stem. The lampwork is almost identical to the lampwork in the
1980A. The paperweight is faceted with a large concave top
facet and sixteen side facets. The ground is clear and a large
V-groove star cut pattern or fan pattern covers the base. It
does not appear in the Perthshire books. It is clumsily
engraved "P1980" on the edge of the base and I suspect the marking
was added later by a collector or dealer. Other than that
marking, the paperweight is unmarked and unsigned but I have no
doubt that it is a quality Perthshire paperweight. The reason I suspect this to be a prototype is that the 1980A weight is very similar with several key differences. The 1980A weight has the rose on the other side, the left side, and the bud on the right side. There are more leaves in the 1980A. And there is a "P" signature cane beside the stem. The 1980A was issued in an edition of 300 paperweights, with 224 made. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Medium Size: Just over 2 7/16" diameter by 1 13/16"
high. The paperweight is faceted with a large concave top
facet and sixteen side facets. A large V-groove star cut
pattern or fan pattern covers the base. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/6/2017. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2738 | Peter McDougall (PMcD) 2009 Mid Year Special #11 Amber
Flower with Five Complex Canes Paperweight. dated
2009. Spectacular small flower with five petals and five
leaves surrounded by a ring of five complex canes. Peter
describes the ground as black, but it is actually a very dark
purple. The paperweight is signed on the base with Peter's
complex signature and date cane "PMcD 09". It also has a paper
label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Handmade in Crieff Scotland."
This paperweight was one of the special annual editions made in only in 2009. It was designated Collection 2009 Mid Year #11. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Small Size: 2 3/16" diameter by 1 1/2" high.
The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/5/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1970 | Peter McDougall (PMcD) Small Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. This paperweight consists of a paneled
millefiori pattern of pink, green, and white colors on a rust red
ground. There are six panels arranged around a central complex
millefiori cane. The panel dividers are white complex
latticinio twists with an orange-red and white twist in the
center. This style has a 1 + 2 pattern of canes plus a ring of
canes on the outside. It is signed on the bottom with a
complex cane made from four separate letter canes forming the
signature "PMcD". This early paperweight does not have a paper
label. Great color. Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Small Size: This could be considered a
miniature. 2" diameter by just under 1 1/2" high. The
base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/4/2017. For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1687 | Peter McDougall Medium Crown Paperweight with multicolored
twists. Attractive crown paperweight with a wonderful
complex cane on top. The crown is formed from 20 twist canes
with alternating colors, 10 white twist canes and 10 multi-colored
twists made from yellow, white and green stringers.
There is a dark ground in the center of this paperweight. It
is signed on the base with a complex cane made from four separate
letter canes forming the signature PMcD in the center of a cogged
cane. Crown weights are considered by some to be the most exciting of all millefiori designs. They are extremely difficult to make. Peter McDougall did not make many of these medium crowns. Peter McDougall started his glass making career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Medium Size: Just under 2 3/8" diameter by just
over 2 1/16" high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/3/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4914 | Rare John Deacons St. Kilda Concentric Millefiori Paperweight
Bottle - Signed StK. circa 1978 - 1987.
This St. Kilda bottle was made by John Deacons between 1978 to
1987. This may be a married set. The bottle and stopper
do not match perfectly. The stopper fits but not snugly.
It is possible that the factory or a prior dealer accidentally
mismatched the two or the factory did this on purpose. The
bottle has four rings of blue and pink millefiori over a cobalt blue
ground. The stopper has different millefiori with three rings
of blue and white millefiori. Both are signed with an "St.K"
signature cane in the center. A fun item from this talented
artist.
The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. John Deacons learned his craft at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland in 1967. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there for 10 years before leaving in 1978 to start his own glass studio. He has produced paperweights and other glass objects under a variety of labels, including J Glass, St. Kilda, and now under his own name. The St. Kilda line was produced from 1978 or 1979 through 1987. You can read about John Deacons in the book by Hall - Scottish Paperweights. Size: Just under 2 1/2" diameter by 3 11/16" high
with the stopper. The bottle is just under 2 1/2" diameter
by 2 3/8" high. The stopper is just over 1 5/8" diameter by
just under 2 1/8" long. The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 9/3/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3696 | Large St. Clair Geronimo Sulphide Paperweight. circa
1972 or later. This large paperweight features a sulphide of
Geronimo place over an opaque white chipped glass ground. The
sulphide has some discoloration. This was part of a series of
sulphides of Native American chiefs. It is hot stamped
"GERONIMO" on the base. Note: The pontil mark on this paperweight would normally be "ST. CLAIR 1972 GERONIMO". I don't know if the mark failed or was deliberately changed to read only "GERONIMO". Sulphide Paperweights are those that
contain cast objects (animals, flowers, people) made of a
ceramic material that has properties similar to the surrounding
glass. They are normally white, but are also sometimes
colored or even painted. The objects are cast in a mold
that copied or made directly from a medallion, coin or
sculpture. Often the object is surrounded by a millefiori
or lampwork garland, but it may also appear alone. The
finest sulphides are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. The St. Clair line (as far as paperweights are concerned) started with John "Pop" St. Clair, Sr. who worked at the George MacBeth Glass Works in Elwood from around 1903 to 1938. Local natural gas production faltered in 1938 and the St. Clairs began to develop their ideas for a new business of their own. Joe St. Clair (1909 - 1987) did the original experimentation and the business was formally started in 1941 in Elwood, Indiana. John, Sr. and the brothers John, Jr., Joe, Ed and Bob all participated, while another brother, Paul, did not at first. By 1944 St. Clair paperweights were being sold through Georg Jenson on Fifth Avenue in New York. Joe retired (the first time) in 1971 and sold the factory to new owners in Elwood, Indiana. Sometime later, the new owners of the original factory sold the factory back to Joe. For a while, there were two St. Clair factories, one owned by Joe and the other owned by Bob St. Clair. Some paperweights are marked just "ST. CLAIR". Those were made under different owners starting in 1971 or later. Large Size: 3" diameter by 1 13/16" high. The
bottom is fire finished flat and hot stamped in the center with
the "GERONIMO" mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 9/2/2017 For more information about paperweights made by the St. Clair factory, see my St. Clair Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3117 | Magnum Antique English Green Glass Dump Paperweight with
Sulphide Goat. circa 1840-1900. This
unusual glass paperweight is made of green bottle glass and contains
a sulphide of what appears to be a goat with horns. There is
also a flowerpot on the bottom of the type typically find in floral
dumps. I have no idea why the maker put that in. The
goat sulphide has many small and larger bubbles on its
surface. These were trapped when the sulphide was
inserted. Unknown maker and age. It has considerable
surface wear and scratches. Also base wear consistent with its
age and two small circular impact marks. No cracks or chips
(other than the two impact marks). There are many fine bubbles
in the glass. A great addition to a collection of old English
paperweights. Green glass paperweights, mantle ornaments and doorstops originated as early as 1820 and continued to be made as late as 1914. They are made from green and blue bottle glass in factories founded by John Kilner of Wakefield and other bottle makers in the Midlands and Northern regions of England. There are articles on this topic in 2002, 2003 and 2005 annual bulletins of the Paperweight Collectors Association. You can also read about them in Old English Paperweights by Robert Hall. Often referred to as green dumps, the most desirable are those with well executed floral designs, sulphide inclusions, or colored flowers. Even more desirable is a signed example. Since they are made form bottle glass, these paperweights often show signs of rough handling with chips or internal fractures. Sulphides are cast objects (animals, flowers, people) made of a ceramic material that has properties similar to the surrounding glass. They are normally white, but are also sometimes colored or even painted. The objects are cast in a mold that copied or made directly from a medallion, coin or sculpture. The finest French sulphides are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. Sometimes a sulphide will have a silvery appearance due to a thin layer of trapped bubbles between the glass and the sulphide itself. The sulphide can also have larger bubbles if the maker was not careful, as is the case with this example. Note: I had difficulty getting good pictures of this paperweight, because of the bubbles in the glass and the wear on the surface. Very Large Size: 3 1/2" tall by just under 3
1/4" diameter. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$225 postage paid in the US. Added 8/31/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Whitefriars and other English factories, see my English Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3169 | Vintage Pairpoint Concentric Millefiori Paperweight Perfume
Bottle. circa 1970s. This is a large blown
Pairpoint melon shaped bottle with a faceted paperweight
stopper. The stopper has a ring of eight complex millefiori
and a very nice complex cane in the center. The millefiori are
placed on an opaque yellow ground. The stopper is faceted with
four side facets and a top facet. The stopper and bottle are
ground to fit. The base shows the remnant of the pontil
mark. I believe this bottle and stopper date from the early
1970s when William Burchfield was still at Pairpoint. The
bottle is engraved on the base with the Pairpoint "P inside a
diamond" mark. This is the nicest Pairpoint millefiori bottle
I have seen. Perfect execution and a well balanced
deign.
Pairpoint Glass has a long history extending back to its earliest origins with Mount Washington Glass in 1837. Owners and locations changed a number of times and the name Pairpoint was first used in the 1890s. The original Pairpoint companies were located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1938, it was reorganized as Gunderson Glass Works by owner Robert Gunderson and later renamed the Gunderson - Pairpoint Glass Works in 1952. The name was acquired by Robert Bryden and the company moved briefly to East Wareham, MA in 1957 where it operated as the Pairpoint Glass Company. They leased production facilities in Spain. The last New Bedford factory burned down in 1965. In its latest iteration, Robert Bryden moved Pairpoint to Sagamore, Massachusetts in 1970. It continues to operate at that location today, with new owners in 2015. William Clark Burchfield started making paperweights at Pairpoint Glass in Sagamore, Massachusetts in 1970. He left in 1976 to form the Cape Cod Glass Works (also in Sagamore) which continued in operation until 2000. It then continued briefly in Crossville, Tennessee until 2001. Bill Burchfield died in 2012. Bill's son Mark was also at the glass works until 1998. Large Size: 3 3/8" diameter by 4 5/8" high.
The stopper is 1 9/16" diameter by 2 5/8" long. The base has
the remnants of the pontil mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/27/2017 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4954 | Early Debbie Tarsitano Green Zinnia "Envy" Flower with Buds,
Leaves and Stem Paperweight. undated circa 1978
-1980. This paperweight features a green zinnia flower with
upright yellow stamens. The zinnia plant has a green flower,
six yellow buds, leaves and a stem. The ground is clear
glass. According to Debbie, the flower's formal name is "Envy"
and was probably made at her Valley Stream Long Island studio.
Signed at the base of the stem with the conjoined "DT" Tarsitano
signature cane used by both Delmo and Debbie Tarsitano from about
1978 to 1980. The signature cane has a black "DT" on a white
background and a blue border. A great early paperweight from
this versatile glass artist.
Please ignore the glare from the lights. Debbie Tarsitano has been making wonderful paperweights since 1972, when she and her father Delmo Tarsitano set up a glass studio to explore a shared obsession with glass. While developing her glass artwork, Debbie earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Associate Degree in Journalism from Hofstra University, Long Island, NY. Her work has evolved from simple floral paperweights in the 1970s to contemporary sculptural expressions. The results are powerful, fresh images encased in glass. Her florals are outstanding. A formally trained painter, her passions lie in creating work that goes beyond traditional glass, building a bridge to the greater world of art. She has collaborated with many internationally known glass artists, including Roland (Max) Erlacher, Ed Poore, Dino Rosin, Jiri Harcuba, and others. Debbie and Delmo Tarsitano shared the same signature cane, feeling that their work was individual and distinctive and collectors would have no difficulty distinguishing between their art. Although they did not date their work, the signature cane changed over time and provided approximate dates for the works. The cane in this paperweight was used from about 1978 until 1980. See Andrew Dohan's Dictionary of Paperweight Signature Canes for more information on the Tarsitano signature canes. Medium Size: 2 5/8" diameter by 1 5/16"
high. The base is ground concave. High dome. I
had difficulty photographing this paperweight because of the high
dome. Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Added 8/26/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4794 | Antique Bohemian Doorknob with Concentric
Millefiori Handle on clear ground. circa
1850-1900. This is an antique Bohemian doorknob with a
millefiori paperweight handle. The handle has two concentric
circles of complex canes around a complex two ring center star
cane. The entire design consists of complex canes, sometimes
complex canes inside complex canes. There is a large amber
cane that occurs in the very center and also five times in the inner
circle. Each cane has two rings of canes around a complex
cane. There is an outer ring of amber floret canes with white
centers. Inside is a ring of all white five pointed star canes
with outer rings of white. The center cane in this amber cane
is a complex cane made up of green and white star canes with a red
outer layer. Also in the inner circle are five large red and
white complex canes with star canes in the center and a red outer
layer. This same cane also occurs nine times in the outer row,
alternating with similar blue and white and green and white complex
canes. In all a complex design built from a variety of canes
with many star canes. The design is well centered, although
not perfectly and some canes are tipped or out of place. The
hardware portion is in good shape. There is no spindle.
Bohemian Glass generally refers to the glass made in the regions that form the border area between the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany. Most of these areas are now parts of the western Czech Republic. Size: The knob is 1 13/16" diameter by 2 1/8"
high. No spindle. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$275 postage paid in the US. Added 8/26/2017 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4795 | Antique Bohemian Doorknob with Concentric
Millefiori Handle on clear ground (with spindle). circa
1850-1900. This is an antique Bohemian doorknob with a
millefiori paperweight handle. The handle has two concentric
circles of canes around a complex center star cane. The center
cane has a star at the tip of each cane. The theme colors are
red, pink and green. The inner circle of canes is pink with
white centers. In the center of each is a six pointed
star. The outer ring of canes alternates between red and white
canes and complex green and pink canes. The green and pink
canes are complex with two rings of canes around a center
cane. The outer ring consists of all star canes. In all
a complex design built from a variety of canes with many star
canes. The design is well centered (although not perfectly)
and the knob has only one damaged spot. The hardware portion
is in good shape and includes the spindle. Note: The millefiori canes in this doorknob are very complex and some fall into the category of "starfish canes" identified by Alan Thornton and Andreas Stammwitz in an article 2016 PCA Bulletin. The center cane has tiny stars at the tip of each point. We should call this a "fractal cane". Bohemian Glass generally refers to the glass made in the regions that form the border area between the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany. Most of these areas are now parts of the western Czech Republic. Size: The knob is 1 13/16" diameter by 2 1/8"
high. With the 1/4" spindle it is 4" long. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$275 postage paid in the US. Added 8/26/2017 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4951 | Early Debbie Tarsitano Red Flower with Leaves and Stem
Paperweight. undated circa 1976 -1978. This
paperweight features a red flower with upright yellow stamens.
The flower has leaves and a stem. The ground is clear
glass. Signed at the base of the stem with the "T" Tarsitano
signature cane used by both Delmo and Debbie Tarsitano from about
1976 to 1978. The signature cane has a black T on a white
background and a blue border. A great early paperweight from
this versatile glass artist.
Please ignore the glare from the lights. Debbie Tarsitano has been making wonderful paperweights since 1972, when she and her father Delmo Tarsitano set up a glass studio to explore a shared obsession with glass. While developing her glass artwork, Debbie earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Associate Degree in Journalism from Hofstra University, Long Island, NY. Her work has evolved from simple floral paperweights in the 1970s to contemporary sculptural expressions. The results are powerful, fresh images encased in glass. Her florals are outstanding. A formally trained painter, her passions lie in creating work that goes beyond traditional glass, building a bridge to the greater world of art. She has collaborated with many internationally known glass artists, including Roland (Max) Erlacher, Ed Poore, Dino Rosin, Jiri Harcuba, and others. Debbie and Delmo Tarsitano shared the same signature cane, feeling that their work was individual and distinctive and collectors would have no difficulty distinguishing between their art. Although they did not date their work, the signature cane changed over time and provided approximate dates for the works. The cane in this paperweight was used from about 1976 until 1978. See Andrew Dohan's Dictionary of Paperweight Signature Canes for more information on the Tarsitano signature canes. Small Size: 2 3/16" diameter by 1 7/16"
high. The base is ground concave. High dome. I
had difficulty photographing this paperweight because of the high
dome. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$375 postage paid in the US. Added 8/26/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3912 | Magnum 1992 Hal David Berger Violet Stylized Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Paperweight. dated 1992. This contemporary
paperweight features violet stylized jack-in-the-pulpit flowers
surrounded by intricate thin green spiral that follows the contours
of the flowers. Four carefully placed large bubbles complete
the design. A very elaborate floral design. Signed "Hal
David Berger 92" on the base. Hal David Berger was a glass artist
who worked in the Emporia, Kansas area. He died
unexpectedly in 2003 after 20 years of making glass and
teaching. I was unable to out anything more about this
skilled artist. Very Large Size: 3 7/16" diameter by just over 3 1/8"
tall. The bottom is ground flat. Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/21/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3922 | Magnum 1992 Randy Strong Abstract Gold Leaf
Paperweight. dated 1992. Contemporary
abstract style paperweight created by Randy Strong of Berkeley,
California. The paperweight resembles a black planet although with
layers of gold leaf on the inside and exterior. The gold on
the outside can be felt. The underlying ground color is
black. It is signed "R. Strong 1992". The base is
covered with black felt. A wonderful large paperweight with
great color. Note: The iridescent effect of gold rays in upper half of the pictures is a reflection. The glass is clear but picks up reflections from the inner and outer layers of gold. Randy Strong has studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts 1971 from the Osaka University of the Arts, Osaka, Japan. He has been blowing glass and running his own studio in Northern California for over 40 years. His work has been collected and displayed throughout the world in such places as The Corning Museum of Glass (New York), The Louvre, the Osaka Museum of Art, The San Francisco Museum of Art, The Ludwig Shraffarth Collection (Germany), The John D. Rockefeller Collection, the IBM Collection (USA) and at the American Crafts exhibitions at Baltimore, West Springfield and Rhinebeck. Very Large Size: 3 5/16" diameter by 3 5/16"
high. The base is ground flat and covered with felt. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/20/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3916 | Large Caithness 1993 Congratulations (Style Two) Abstract
Paperweight. circa 1993. This abstract
Caithness paperweight depicts a woven "cap" with four descending
tassels. There are carefully placed bubbles at the corners of
the cap and at the tip of each tassel. All of this is
surrounded by a mist of transparent white glass. It is
entirely white and was difficult to photograph. Alternatively
the paperweight can be interpreted as fireworks, but that does not
explain the use of the woven glass fabric. The paperweight is
signed on the base "Caithness CONGRATULATIONS Scotland" along with a
registration number "TS9650". Designed by Margot
Thomson.
This design is listed and designated CT-985 on page 147 of the Charlton Standard Catalog of Caithness Paperweights. It was designed in 1993 by Margot Thomson as part of the Weight - Spherical series. The paperweight is recorded as coming in three colors (Gold, Ruby, and Silver). Since this paperweight is white, it leaves me wondering if maybe it is the "silver" version or maybe white was added later. Caithness Glass was founded by Robin Sinclair in Wick in north eastern Scotland in 1961. The factory did not start making paperweights until 1962 when Paul Ysart joined Caithness. Colin Terris joined Caithness in 1968 and started the modern line of paperweights in 1969. A second factory was opened in Oban in 1969 and the Perth factory opened in 1979. In 1980, Caithness purchased the Whitefriars name and designs. More recently Caithness recently went through a number of changes of ownership. After going into receivership in 2004, it was purchased by Edinburgh Crystal, but went into receivership again in 2006. Finally, it was bought out of receivership by Dartington Crystal. The factories in Wick, Oban and Perth all closed and were replaced by a smaller operation and visitors' center in Crieff. Very Large Size: Just over 3 1/8" diameter by just
over 2 7/8" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. 8/20/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3907 | Small 1990 Lundberg Studios World Weight Designed by James
Lundberg. dated 1990. This World Weight
paperweight was first created by by James Lundberg in 1989 and
became one of the Lundberg Studio's most famous products. It
depicts a whole earth representation of the planet earth with its
continents, oceans, arctic regions, and many other features depicted
in amazing detail. The paperweight even includes wispy cloud
formations. Signed and dated on the base "Lundberg Studios
1990". A wonderful paperweight. Note: The paperweight is in excellent condition. It has a very slight crease in the surface in the clouds just above Asia (see picture with arrow). I would like to imagine that was deliberate, but it may just be an accidental tool mark. It is not damage. It would be fun to go back in time and ask James Lundberg if this paperweight was inspired by the first color photo of the planet Earth taken from a satellite released by NASA in 1967. This subsequently became the image used on the cover of the 1968 first edition of the Whole Earth Catalog. Or maybe he was inspired by one of the images from Apollo 17, the last US mission to the moon in 1972. The current list price for this paperweight is $168 as shown on the Lundberg web page. My price is much lower. In 1970 James Lundberg founded a small "backyard" studio Nouveau Glass in San Jose, California. He was joined by his brother Steven Lundberg, Daniel Salazar, David Salazar, and several other glass artists. The first paperweights were made in 1972. They were known for their surface decorated designs and torchwork and later for their lampwork. In 1973 the firm was renamed Lundberg Studios and moved to Davenport, California. James died in a bicycle accident in 1992. Steven left Lundberg Studios in 1997 and set up his own studio. He died from ALS in 2008. Although in later years, each paperweight produced at Lundberg Studios was signed and dated by the studio and signed by the artist, the earliest paperweights did not have the artists signature The Lundberg World Weight can be found in the Oval Office of the White House, as well as numerous public and private collections, including those of the late Jacques Cousteau, ABC News Anchorman Ted Koppel & the National Geographic Society. Please ignore the white areas in the picture caused by the light. Small Size: Just under 2 3/8" diameter by just
under 2 1/4" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$125 postage paid in the US. Added 8/17/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2982 | Large Ron Schuster 1990 Pink Lily Paperweight with Nashville,
Indiana Label. dated 1990. This is a large
paperweight with a single pink lily over a clear ground. The
paperweight is signed on the base with an engraved signature "RLS
'90" and it also has the original label "SCHUSTER STUDIOS NASHVILLE
INDIANA". A superb early example from this studio.
Ron and Penny Schuster have had a studio and gallery in the artist colony of Brown County, Indiana (Nashville, Indiana) since 1972. Ron is a self-taught glass artist working in stained glass and blown glass. His work in blown glass started in the early 1980s. Their work can be found in over 50 galleries nationwide. Large Size: Just over 3" diameter by just over 2
9/16" tall. The base is ground with a matte finish with some
parts unfinished and remnants of the pontil mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 8/15/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4947 | Large White Iridescent Swirl Paperweight by Unknown
Maker. This is a large white iridescent
paperweight with a swirl pattern and a slightly textured
surface. The colors are white and clear, but the iridescence
causes the surface to appear to gradually change colors as the angle
of view or the angle of illumination changes. The profile is
relatively flat. The paperweight is unsigned, but I suspect it
dates from the 1970s. A delightful paperweight from an unknown
maker. Iridescence is a hard property to describe. The surface reflects light in a way that changes colors much like soap bubbles, butterfly wings and the inside of sea shells. Large Size: Just over 3 1/16" diameter by just over
1 9/16" tall. The profile is flat and the base has been
ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 8/13/2017 For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4950 | Baccarat 1970 President James Monroe Sulphide on Red
Ground. issued in 1970. This modern
sulphide paperweight features a three dimensional figure of
President James Monroe. The sulphide was modeled in 1955 by
Gilbert Poillerat and is signed on the edge of the sulphide with an
incised "G. POILLERAT 1955", but the paperweight was not issued
until 1970. The paperweight also has a "B" incised on the edge
of the sulphide and an acid etched Baccarat mark on the base.
This example has a red base with no cutting on the base. The
paperweight is faceted with one large top facet and six side facets
and is footed. As with most Baccarat sulphides of this period, this paperweight was made with an overlay and also different base treatments. According to Dunlop, this paperweight was issued with a transparent green overlay (415 made) and 2733 examples on a red base with various base cuts. James Monroe was the fifth president of the United States. He served from 1817 to 1825 (two terms). Sulphides are cast objects (animals, flowers, people) made of a ceramic material that has properties similar to the surrounding glass. They are normally white, but are also sometimes colored or even painted. The objects are cast in a mold that copied or made directly from a medallion, coin or sculpture. The finest French sulphides are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. Sometimes a sulphide will have a silvery appearance due to a thin layer of trapped bubbles between the glass and the sulphide itself. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Large Size: 2 13/16" diameter by just under 1 1/2"
high. The red transparent base is ground
flat. The paperweight is faceted with one large top facet
and six side facets and is footed. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$49 postage paid in the US. Added 8/13/2017. For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 549 | Magnum Murano Faceted Close Concentric Mushroom Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1960. This paperweight
has a concentric pattern of millefiori arranged in four circle
around a central millefiori cane. There is an outer ring of
blue canes with green centers, then a ring of orange canes with blue
centers, then a ring of pink canes with green centers, and then the
inner ring of yellow canes with blue centers. The design is
close packed over a clear ground. Underneath is a "mushroom
stem" made of white latticinio. Faceted with a top facet and
five side facets. A attractive paperweight that displays
beautifully. This paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Very Large Size: 3 1/2" diameter by 2 11/16"
high. The base is ground flat. Faceted with a top
facet and five side facets. It weighs 27 ounces. Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/12/2017 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3412 | Very Early Magnum Robert Eickholt Abstract Iridescent
Paperweight. dated 1982. This paperweight
has an abstract design of iridescent valleys and peaks with colors
progressing from white or very light blue to dark blue. The
design is amazing. This inner textured design is encased in an
outer layer of clear glass. It is signed "Eickholt 1982" on
the base. This is one of the earliest paperweights by Robert
Eickholt. Robert Eickholt has been making glass paperweights since 1978 when he founded Eickholt Glass in Columbus, Ohio. His designs often make use of precious metals such as gold and silver, and rare oxides such as cobalt and copper. In later paperweights by Eickholt the design moved to the interior and veiling techniques began to appear. He retired from full time glassworking in 2013, but still creates beautiful glass on a part time basis. Very Large Size: 3 1/8" diameter by 3 3/16"
high. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$89 postage paid in the US. Added 8/12/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4953 | Baccarat Lilac Colored Opaline Agate Paperweight. circa
1960s. This modern paperweight is simply an opaque lilac
colored Baccarat paperweight with no additional ornamental
features. An interesting addition to any collection of
Baccarat paperweights. The Opaline series acknowledges Baccarat's antique opaline production. In the 1820s, before the first paperweights, Baccarat made objects of clear crystal and opaline. As they developed new products to compete with Bohemian glass, they developed colored crystal and other specialty glasses including one called Agate. The book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop includes a picture of an powder blue opaline patch box. The modern Opaline Agate series were issued in several colors including lilac, green, and powder blue. Some are decorated with fleur de lis, some with bees, and some are plain like this example. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. The opaline agate series were made in the 1960s or early 1970s. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Size: Just under 2 5/8" diameter by just over 1
7/8" high. The base is ground
concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/8/2017. For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3510 | Early Perthshire 1971 PP11 Limited Edition Large Spaced
Millefiori Paperweight. dated 1971. This is an
early limited edition spaced millefiori paperweight with twelve
complex millefiori plus a complex signature date cane. The
ground is a white lace. The paperweight is signed with a
"P1971" date cane in the center of the design. This particular
version of the PP11 was made only for three years, from 1969 to
1971. This paperweight does not have a paper label. It
comes with an early Perthshire box. A very nice early
example. The Perthshire PP11 design was made from 1969 to 1992, although the design changed several times over the years. From 1969 to 1971 were made the same way as this example. In 1972 and later, Perthshire added one or more silhouette canes. Other changes were made in subsequent years. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Large Size: 2 5/8" diameter by 1 15/16" high.
The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 7/9/2017. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3503 | Rare Allan Scott John Deacons J Glass Faceted
Garlanded Pansy Paperweight. circa
1978-1983. This paperweight features a delightful
white edged pansy and bud with stems and leaves surrounded by a
miniature garland of alternating green and blue complex millefiori
canes. There is also a complex millefiori cane in the center
of the pansy. It is signed in the garland with a J Glass "J"
signature cane and Allan Scott's "A" signature cane. Allan's
"A" cane has a black A on a white background and is surrounded by a
ring of white star canes with green backgrounds. The J Glass
"J" cane has a blue J on a white background and is surrounded by a
ring of blue canes. The paperweight is faceted with one top
facet and six side facets. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. John Deacons learned his craft at
Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland in 1967. When Perthshire
was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and
worked there for 10 years before leaving in 1978 to start his
own glass studio. He has produced paperweights and other glass
objects under a variety of labels, including J Glass, St. Kilda,
and now under his own name. Some of the lines were produced
simultaneously. J Glass was produced from 1978 to
1983. The St. Kilda line was produced from 1978 or 1979
through 1987. You can read about John Deacons in the book
by Hall - Scottish Paperweights. Allan Scott began his paperweight career as a lampworker apprentice with Perthshire Paperweights in 1975. When John Deacons left Perthshire in 1978 to set up J Glass, Allan Scott and Harry McKay followed John to J Glass. They stayed at J Glass until it closed in March 1983. After that, Allan Scott joined Caithness Glass, where he stayed until 2007. Medium Size: Just over 2 1/4" diameter by 1 1/2"
high. The bottom is ground concave. The paperweight is
faceted with one top facet and six side facets. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$195 postage paid in the US. Added 7/5/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4946 | Baccarat 1953 Queen Elizabeth and Prince
Philip Sulphide Coronation Sulphide Paperweight with Rose
Base. dated 1953. This modern sulphide
paperweight features a three dimensional figure of Queen Elizabeth
II and Prince Philip. The sulphide figure was modeled by
Gilbert Poillerat and is signed at the base of the sulphide with an
incised "G. POILLERAT". It was issued to commemorate the
coronation of the Queen on June 2, 1953. This paperweight was the
first 20th century production sulphide made by Baccarat and marked
the return of Baccarat to the production of
paperweights. As with most Baccarat sulphides of this period, the Coronation sulphide was issued with a number of overlays and different base treatments. There were 195 overlays (rose and white and blue and white) and 1,492 non-overlay weights, of which only 180 had a uncut rose colored base like this example. Sulphides are cast objects (animals, flowers, people) made of a ceramic material that has properties similar to the surrounding glass. They are normally white, but are also sometimes colored or even painted. The objects are cast in a mold that copied or made directly from a medallion, coin or sculpture. The finest French sulphides are cast in a mold made by a skilled artist. Sometimes a sulphide will have a silvery appearance due to a thin layer of trapped bubbles between the glass and the sulphide itself. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
New research of the Baccarat archives has identified the actual makers during the Dupont period as Joseph Boyé (1877-1948)and Louis Idoux (1882-1941). Boyé is recorded as the maker of millefiori canes and millefiori paperweights during this period (1920-1934). Very little is known about Mr. Boyé, but there is enough similarity in the millefiori canes to suggest that he had access to the original molds or some of the original millefiori canes from the classic period. He later trained another glassworker, Georges Brocard, to make open concentric paperweights in 1946. Armed with this knowledge, Brocard was influential in the revival of paperweight making at Baccarat in the 1950s. Louis Idoux is recorded as making the Baccarat pansy paperweights during the 1920-1934 period. In 1952, Paul Jokelson approached Baccarat with the idea of making sulphide paperweights again. In 1953 Baccarat resumed paperweight production with a series of sulphide paperweights the first of which were the unsuccessful Eisenhower sulphide followed by the Queen Elizabeth coronation sulphide. Millefiori paperweight production was resumed in 1957 and lampwork paperweights were re-introduced in the early 1970s. Baccarat stopped making this type of fine glass paperweights in 2002. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Large Size: Just over 2 11/16" diameter by just
over 1 5/8" high. The rose colored base
is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 7/4/2017. For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4390 | Large Antique Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S)
Robins Egg Blue Double Poinsettia on a Blue and White Jasper
Ground Paperweight. circa 1871 - 1888. This is an
antique Boston and Sandwich Double Poinsettia with a two rings of
five robins egg blue petals arranged around unique millefiori cane
center. The millefiori center is a three layer design, with a
green tube center, surrounded by a blue and white eight cog pattern,
and surrounded again by a five sided pink and white exterior that
matches the pattern of the five adjoining petals. There are
carefully placed bubbles between each pair of petals to simulate dew
drops. The two well formed v-crimp leaves and a stem complete
the flower. It is placed over a transparent blue and white
jasper ground. This is an extra large example with a great
flower and great millefiori center. The Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S) operated in Sandwich , Massachusetts on Cape Cod from 1826 to 1888. You can read about paperweights from B&S in the books by John Hawley. The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies covers both B&S and NEGC. There is also a new book The Art of the Paperweight: The Boston & Sandwich Glass Company. NEGC also made poinsettia weights but the style of NEGC weights is usually distinctively different.
Large Size: 3" diameter by 2 1/16" high. The
base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Added 7/2/2017 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3354 | Modern St. Louis 1789-1989 Bicentenary Millefiori Swirl Crown
Paperweight with Box. dated 1989. This is a
modern St. Louis swirl crown paperweight commemorating the 200th
anniversary of start of the French revolution in 1789. There
are four strands of red white and blue cane topped with a red white
and blue complex cane with the date 1789-1989. The bottom is
marked on the bottom in gold lettering "BICENTENAIRE DE LA
REVOLUTION A.C.Delco Saint-Louis”. This paperweight comes with its
original St. Louis box having a plaque reading "SAINT LOUIS
CRISTALLIER DEPUIS 1767". This paperweight is part of a special limited edition series of 400 paperweights issued by St. Louis in 1989. The normal collector series was marked "BICENTENAIRE DE LA REVOLUTION Saint-Louis”, without the reference to AC Delco, an electronics manufacturer. I have not been able to determine whether the weights marked AC Delco are part of the series of 400 or a special commission in addition to the normal run of 400. Note: The date cane on top of this paperweight is faint and the "9" is squeezed in at the right of both dates (1989 and 1789). Cristalleries de Saint Louis was founded in 1767 in Lorraine, which became part of France in 1766. The region was already home to several glassworks. Paperweight production started at St. Louis in 1845 and most likely continued until about 1860. Although the modern production of paperweights started in 1952, the output of millefiori and lampwork paperweights was small. Fewer than 400 lampwork and millefiori paperweights were made between 1952 and 1955. They were not all signed or dated. The most successful product of this early revival period was the Queen Elizabeth sulphide which was made to commemorate her coronation in 1953. After 1955, no additional weights were made at St. Louis until 1965. In 1965 the factory resumed production of lampwork and millefiori paperweights and then in 1967 they began a series of sulphide weights. Finally, in 1970 they started producing annual limited edition paperweights. In addition to the three types already mentioned, millefiori, lampwork, and sulphide paperweights, St. Louis also made a small number of designs with gold inclusions. Size: 2 11/16" diameter by 2" high. The bottom is
ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$295 postage paid in the US. Added 7/1/2017 For more information about paperweights made by the St. Louis factory, see my St. Louis Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2116 | Rare Phoenix Paperweights 2003 Closepack Millefiori
Paperweight. Dated 2003. This paperweight has a
closepacked design of hundreds of millefiori canes over a very dark
green ground. The ground has aventurine in it which gives it a
glittery appearance. Set in the midst of the canes is a
signature PP cane (although it is reversed). The paperweight
is also signed on the base "PHOENIX 2003". A rare find from a
company that was in business for less than two years. Phoenix Paperweights was a small company started by William Manson Sr. to engage three workers from Perthshire after Perthshire closed in January 2002. They only lasted a year and issued paperweights in 2002 and 2003 before closing in August 2003. Phoenix operated in the Manson works in Perth, Scotland. The glass workers were William Manson Sr., David McNichol (paperweight maker), Duncan Smith(lampworking), and Gordon Taylor (glass cutter). Some of the lampwork was also done by Rosette Fleming. The 2003 Phoenix catalog lists William Manson Paperweights as the distributor. Large Size: Just over 2 7/8" diameter by 1 7/8"
high. The base is ground concave in the center. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 6/20/2017. For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2202 | Whitefriars 1978 Cone Shaped Faceted Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight. dated 1978. This paperweight
has five concentric rings of star and cog canes (green, yellow, red,
green, and purple) around a complex center cane. The center
cane consists of two additional rings of millefiori. There are
six elongated side facets and one top facet. Typical heavy
Whitefriars lead crystal. It is signed in cane with a
Whitefriars signature cane with a white monk and the date
1978. There is also a paper label "WHITEFRIARS FULL LED
CRYSTAL MADE IN ENGLAND".
Modern Whitefriars paperweights are prized by collectors for their high quality glass and millefiori designs. The limited edition paperweights with mosaic canes are especially sought after. The name Whitefriars Glass dates from sometime in the 1600s. The original site had been occupied by a community of Carmelite monks known as White Friars, hence the name taken by the glass company. Some sources state that at least a portion of the company operated under the name of James Powell and Sons from 1834 to 1962. Other sources state that the Whitefriars name was used from 1680 to 1980. Limited production of millefiori paperweights and other millefiori items started some time in the 1930s and first appeared in the 1938 catalog. Millefiori items were made using English full lead crystal (33% lead oxide). It is difficult to associate specific paperweights with this production. After 1945, they made colored glass and bubble design paperweights until the modern millefiori production started about 1951. Even then relatively few designs were produced until the 1970s. In 1980, Whitefriars glass went out of business. After Whitefriars Glass was liquidated, Caithness Glass purchased the rights to the name and produced paperweights under the Whitefriars name for awhile. For a long time, collectors believed that English paperweights and inkwells dated 1848 and similar undated items were made by Whitefriars. The dates, however, are false dates and have been traced to production at Arculus and Walsh-Walsh in the 1920s and 1930s. Most paperweights referred to as old Whitefriars or antique Whitefriars were, in fact, made by other factories such as Richardson, Arculus, Walsh-Walsh,or one of the unidentified Old English factories. When the maker can not be identified, it is best to call them Old English paperweights and not associate them with Whitefriars. Large Size: 3" diameter by 3" tall. It is
faceted with one top facet and six side facets. The bottom
is ground concave with the millefiori set close to the base
(typical of Whitefriars weights). For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$335 postage paid in the US. Price reduced from $435 Added 6/18/2017. For more information about Whitefriars and other paperweights from England,see my English Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4810 | Mayauel Ward Yellow Flower and Bud Paperweight. dated
2003. This compound three-dimensional paperweight features a
large pale yellow (almost white) five petal flower and bud with
stems and leaves over a lilac ground. The paperweight is three
dimensional with two layers of lampwork above the ground.
Mayauel has integrated the layers so the bud is almost hiding among
the foliage and the stems wrap under the edge of the ground.
Signed and dated "Mayauel Ward 2003" on the base. This is a
wonderful paperweight.
Mayauel Ward is one of the premier lampwork artists working today. He started with a glass class taught by Stuart Abelman at El Camino College. After completing his studies, he went to work at Correia Glass where he worked with Ken Rosenfeld. In 1979 he joined the Abelman Glass Studio where he started making lampwork designs in 1987. Although he continued to work at Abelman Glass, he also built a studio in his home in Manhattan Beach, CA. His work is uniquely his own although he gets inspiration from the fine lampwork designs of Paul Stankard and Chris Buzzini. There are articles about Mayauel Ward in the 1997 and 2006 issues of the Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association. Size: Just over 2 5/8" diameter by just over 2
3/8" tall. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$245 postage paid in the US. Added 6/15/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2373 | Large Bubble Dump Paperweight by Unknown Maker.
This is a large dump shaped paperweight with a random pattern of
bubbles. It is possibly made of bottle glass as a whimsy by
workers in a bottle factory. Although this is similar to antique English green dumps, I do not believe it is English nor do I believe it is an antique. As such, I can only attribute it to an unknown maker in an unspecified country. Large Size: Just over 2 13/16" diameter by just
under 3 1/2" tall. The base has been ground flat with a
rough surface. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 6/15/2017 For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3691 | Early Bill Slade Large Silver Veiled Translucent Blue and Green
Compound Abstract Paperweight. dated 1983. This
paperweight has many layers of swirling translucent pale green and
blue veiling. It is a magical technique that creates an image
of fluid motion within the glass. It is signed on the side
near the base "B. SLADE '83". A dramatic complex paperweight
created in the earliest years of this technique. This paperweight has a "veil" effect created by using a metallic powder in the glass. The veiling technique was first developed by Dominic Labino worked back in the early 1970s. Later it was used by Harvey Littleton (1980) Ed Nesteruk (1982), Bill Slade (1983), and Michael O'Keefe (1984). Bill Slade, born in 1953, was educated at Jacksonville University (Florida). He has been working in glass for since the late 1970s and today works with his son Jonathan at their studio Slade Art Glass in Jacksonville, Florida. They make a variety of glass objects including vessels, paperweights, and sculptural pieces. Bill has taught glass at Jacksonville University and other places. He has received many awards and is in the permanent collections of several major museums, including the Corning Museum of Glass, Bergstrom Mahler Museum, WheatonArts Museum of American Glass, and the Chrysler Museum. Large Size: 3" diameter by 2 5/16" high. The
bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 6/13/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3689 | Large Gentile Glass Paperweight Pen Holder.
circa 1950-1975. This paperweight pen holder features a
red, white, and yellow center core surrounded by a layer of
controlled bubbles. There are four receptacles for pens and
pencils. The paperweight is unsigned but is definitely a
product of Gentile Glass from Star City, WV. A fun
item.
The original glass worker in the Gentile family was Peter Gentile, born in Naples, Italy in 1884. He worked in Naples(Italy), Rochester (Pennsylvania), and Morgantown (West Virginia) before building his own factory in Star City (West Virginia) in 1947. His sons, Frankie, John and Joe Gentile helped him make paperweights in the off hours at the Guild Factory in Morgantown. However, most paperweight production since WWII has been associated with Peter, John, or John's wife Gertrude Gentile. Few weights were signed prior to1963. It is believed that Gentile Glass remained in production until 2006. Most, if not all, paperweights produced from 1975 on were signed. For more information, you can read about the Gentiles in the book American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 and 1970). Large Size: 3 1/8" diameter by 3 3/8" high.
The center of the base is ground. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$49 postage paid in the US. Added 6/11/2017 For more information about Gentile paperweights, see my Gentile Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4292 | Perthshire 1996 PP47 Limited Edition Miniature Latticinio
Millefiori Paperweight. dated 1996. This is
small sized millefiori paperweight with five picture canes separated
by complex millefiori canes surrounding a blue lampwork flower and
bud. The design is set on a white latticinio ground. The
picture canes are of a panda, sailboat, locomotive, horse and rider,
and a dog. It is signed and dated on the base with a "P1996"
signature cane. It comes with its original box and certificate
stating that it is number 102 out of a limited edition of 250
paperweights. It also has a Perthshire paper label
"PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF SCOTLAND". This is a really
flashy paperweight with great color.
Perthshire calls this a miniature, but it is slightly larger than a true miniature. Although the PP47 was made from 1981 to 2002, the design varied each year. This particular design was made only in 1996. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Size: 2 1/16" diameter by just over 1 9/16" high.
The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 6/11/2017 For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2859 | Rare Antique Bohemian Engraved Paperweight of Pope Pius IX,
probably by the Friedrich Egermann Glassworks. Circa
1846-1880. Interesting antique paperweight with a profile of
Pope Pius IX engraved deeply in the base through the amber stain
ground. The image of Pope Pius is engraved with considerable
detail and skill. The glass is a heavy lead crystal with a
thin amber stain on the base. Unfortunately, the paperweight
has extensive wear on the base. Probably made by the Friedrich
Egermann glassworks. A rare paperweight. Pope Pius IX, born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, reigned as Pope from 16 June 1846 to his death in 1878. He was the longest-reigning elected pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving for over 31 years. Bohemian Glass generally refers to the glass made in the regions that form the border area between the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany. Most of these areas are now parts of the western Czech Republic. Friedrich Egermann (1777-1864) of Haida (now Nový Bor in the Czech Republic) is credited with developing the process used to create yellow/amber and red/ruby stains. These stains, sometimes called flash layers, are thin layers of transparent glass much thinner than the overlay process used by other glassworks. The amber stain is created by coating the surface of the glass with a silver salt made into a paste and firing the glass. The ruby stain uses a copper salt. The process is sometimes repeated more than once. In his second book, Classic Paperweights from Silesia / Bohemia, von Brackel argues that the Egermann Glassworks is the likely source of this type of paperweight. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by 1 3/4" high. The
base is concave with an amber stain. The image of the pope
is engraved into the base. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$165 postage paid in the US. Added 6/10/2017 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2254 | Antique Thuringia Lauscha Bohemia Millefiori Paperweight
with Name Plaque "Hauptm. Karl". Circa 1870 -
1940. Colorful antique paperweight with colorful millefiori
canes arranged around a central name plaque. The name "Hauptm.
Karl" is probably an abbreviation of "Hauptmann Karl", meaning
Captain Karl or leader Karl. The complex millefiori canes
repeat in alternating patterns to make up the design with 26 canes
in all. The pattern is arranged over a multicolored frit
ground. There are some wonderful complex canes in this
paperweight. An interesting example of a type of weight that
is becoming more in demand as collectors learn more about the
various Bohemian factories and eastern Germany factories. This
is a relatively rare item. The maker of this paperweight is unknown, except that it is believed to originate in the region along the Czech - German border, hence the label Bohemian. Similar paperweights have are on display in the museum in Lauscha and are identified as being from Lauscha in Thuringia. The area was part of Bohemia prior to WWI. Similar examples can be found in the book by von Brackel, Paperweights: Historicism - Art Nouveau - Art Deco - 1842 to Today See pages 90-95 and figure 507 on page 221. Large Size: 2 3/4" diameter by 1 11/16" high. The
base is ground flat with a matte finish. There is a
depression remaining from the pontil mark in the center. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$195 postage paid in the US. Added 6/6/2017 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3026 | Very Early Ray Banford Miniature Cherries on Snow
Paperweight. circa 1971-1974. This
miniature paperweight has three bright red cherries on a white snow
ground. There are also stems and leaves and a piece of a
branch. It is a very early paperweight made by Ray
Banford. Signed on the base "Ray Banford".
Ray Banford worked in Southampton, NJ. He started making paperweights in 1971 along with his son, Bob Banford. He continued to make paperweights until his death in 2003. Bob and Ray did not date their paperweights. By 1975 both Ray and Bob were using signature canes, so this paperweight predates that use. Miniature Size: 2" diameter by 1 3/16"
high. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$135 postage paid in the US. Added 6/4/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4907 | Large Daniel Salazar Lundberg Studios Blue
Angelfish and Anemones Compound Paperweight. dated
1998. This paperweight by Daniel Salazar features a large blue
angelfish swimming inside a garland of blue and green
anemones. The green anemones are on a vine that wraps around
to the edge of the ground. They appear to depict a plant
rather than sea anemones. The blue sea anemones are free
standing. This is a compound composition and is very three
dimensional with three layers of lampwork over a translucent blue
ground. Signed and dated on the edge "Daniel Salazar Lundberg
Studios 1998" along with a registration number "031351". It
also has a Daniel Salazar "D.S." lampwork signature on the underside
of the ground. Perfect condition. A wonderful
paperweight.
The list price for this paperweight in May 2010 was $420. It is also the current list price shown on the Lundberg web page. My price is 30% lower. In 1970 James Lundberg founded a small "backyard" studio Nouveau Glass in San Jose, California. He was joined by his brother Steven Lundberg, Daniel Salazar, David Salazar, and several other glass artists. The first paperweights were made in 1972. They were known for their surface decorated designs and torchwork and later for their lampwork. In 1973 the firm was renamed Lundberg Studios and moved to Davenport, California. James died in an accident in 1991. Steven left Lundberg Studios in 1997 and set up his own studio. He died from ALS in 2008. Although in later years, each paperweight produced at Lundberg Studios was signed and dated by the studio and signed by the artist, the earliest paperweights did not have the artists signature.. Daniel Salazar is one of the lead gaffers at Lundberg Studios in Davenport, California and is their primary paperweight designer and maker. He joined Lundberg in 1975. Please ignore the white areas in the picture caused by the light. Large Size: 2 3/4" diameter by 2 5/16" high.
The base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 5/28/2017 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3176 | Peter McDougall Karen Maxwell Limited Edition 2011
Christmas Paperweight. circa 2011. Attractive
limited edition Christmas paperweight featuring a three dimensional
bouquet of a Poinsettia, Christmas Rose, and Holly with stems,
berries, and leaves. The bouquet was made by Karen Maxwell and
is set on a clear ground crown paperweight with a dramatic
star cut base. The paperweight is faceted with a top facet and
six side facets. It is signed at the base of the bouquet with
a complex cane made from four separate letter canes forming the
signature PMcD. It also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio
LTD, Hand Made in Crieff Scotland." It also comes with its
original laminated certificate stating that it is Number 15 out of a
limited edition of 40 paperweights. The paperweight is also
marked 15/40 on the side near base.
Peter McDougall issued a Christmas paperweight each year. I have most of these in stock. Please contact me if you are looking for a different year. Peter McDougall started his glassmaking career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Karen Maxwell did the lampwork for this paperweight. She previously worked at Perthshire Paperweights and is identified as the lampwork artist on several Peter McDougall paperweights. I was unable to learn anything more about her background. Small Size: 2 1/4" diameter by just over 1
3/4" high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$450 postage paid in the US. Added 4/9/2017 $450 postage paid in the US. This one is SOLD, but I have another identical paperweight for sale. Please inquire if interested and I will post pictures. For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4789 | Large Perthshire PP1 Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1982-2002. A large patterned
millefiori paperweight with 10 sections of floral millefiori canes
over an almost opaque black ground. The central design
consists of two rings around a central signature cane. This
paperweight dates from 1982 or later when Perthshire changed the PP1
pattern to have 10 sections, each with a 1-1-2-3 pattern of
canes. The paneled sections are surrounded by an outer ring of
twists and then an outer ring of canes. It is signed in the
center with Perthshire's "P' signature cane and also has a paper
label "PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF SCOTLAND". A stunning
paperweight with great color.
Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Large Size: 2 15/16" in diameter by 2 1/8"
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 4/2/2017. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4862 | Large 1997 Baccarat Crescent Moon and Stars
Millefiori Paperweight. dated 1997. Modern Baccarat
paperweight with an interesting design consisting of a millefiori
crescent moon and yellow millefiori stars on a translucent blue
ground. The crescent moon is made up of three rows of
millefiori star canes. Each of the outer two rows contain a
miniature crescent moon in the center. There is also a complex
signature cane with a B1997 date. Unfortunately the date is
flipped upside down. "Baccarat" is engraved on the side and
the aid etch Baccarat logo is on the base. Perfect
condition. This very hard to find non-traditional design will
be a welcome addition to any collection of Baccarat
paperweights.
Large Size: 2 3/4" diameter by 2 1/16" high.
The bottom is ground flat. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat started making modern millefiori paperweights in 1957. According to Paul Dunlop ( Baccarat Paperweights: Two Centuries of Beauty ), Baccarat started making the modern spaced millefiori paperweights on muslin or lace in 1958 and continued making undated examples until the limited editions were started in 1970. The exception is 1964 when special versions were produced for Baccarat's 200th anniversary. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Added 3/12/2017 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4806 | Large Ed Rithner Multi-Colored Candy Cane
Millefiori Paperweight. circa 1940-1970. A wonderful
example of a relatively rare style of paperweight. The
millefiori canes are striped lengthwise and are placed over a
transparent turquoise ground. The canes are various
colors of red, blue, green, and white. A classic Rithner
design.
A wonderful example of a relatively rare style of paperweight. Please ignore the white areas in the pictures; they are caused by the light. Ed Rithner worked in Wellsburg, West Virginia from 1908 to the 1970s or later. You can read about Ed Rithner in Jean Melvin's book on American Glass Paperweights and their Makers . All of Rithner's weights are unsigned. Large Size: Just under 3 3/16" diameter by 1 7/8"
high. The base is fire finished and then ground to a matte
finish in the center to remove the pontil mark. The profile is
relatively flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 2/26/2017 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2637 | Magnum 1975 Baccarat Limited Edition Grapes
Paperweight. dated 1975. Classical design with a
lampwork cluster of dark purple grapes with leaves and tendrils over
an opaque white milk glass ground. It is signed with a
Baccarat signature cane "B 1975" and also signed again on the bottom
with the Baccarat logo. Perfect execution. A magnificent
paperweight.
This is a hard to find Baccarat paperweight. The design was produced only in 1975 in a limited edition of 260 paperweights. This is number 164 in that series. There is a signature cane "B 1975" shown in the pictures. The bottom has the Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1975), the number (164) and the size of the series (260). It is unusual to find a Baccarat paperweight with a white opaque ground as they produced very few designs with this choice of ground. It works perfectly with the dark purple grape cluster. Baccarat currently suggests a retail price of $2,461 for this paperweight, but my price is much lower. Very Large Size: Just over 3 1/16" diameter by 2 3/16"
high. The bottom is ground concave. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat started making modern millefiori paperweights in 1957. According to Paul Dunlop ( Baccarat Paperweights: Two Centuries of Beauty ), Baccarat started making the modern spaced millefiori paperweights on muslin or lace in 1958 and continued making undated examples until the limited editions were started in 1970. The exception is 1964 when special versions were produced for Baccarat's 200th anniversary. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Added 2/21/2017 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4216 | Antique Meisenthal France (Alsace Lorraine)
Five Bubble Pedestal Paperweight Chalice. circa 1870 -
1914. Antique paperweight chalice with a five bubble
paperweight stem and a glued bowl. Each bubble is made by
piercing the multicolored frit layer and leaving a stem. There
are four outside bubbles and one larger central bubble. In
this example the bowl was made separately and the base of the bowl
was ground flat, cut with a star pattern, and then glued to the
stem. There is a gold enamel or paint covering the joint
between the bowl and the stem. The paperweight stem has two
collars. This is a rare item.
Note: The bowl is not as deep as what would be expected for a wine glass. It is possible that it has been cut down or that the intended purpose was different (e.g., a candle holder). At first I thought the glued construction was unusual, but von Brackel discusses multiple examples of two part paperweights glued together from this region (France, Germany, Bavaria) in his book Paperweights: Historicism - Art Nouveau - Art Deco - 1842 to Today. See pages 202-205. Meisenthal is in north-eastern France (originally part of Alsace Lorraine). The village is famous for the Centre International d’Art Verrier (CIAV; international center for studio glass). Glass has been produced in Meisenthal since the early 18th century, and since the 19th century Christmas decorations from Meisenthal were famous – some say they were invented there. Large Size: The bowl is 2 13/16” in diameter, the
paperweight stem is 1 7/8” diameter, and the foot is 3 ¾” in
diameter. The entire chalice is 5 7/8” high. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$195 postage paid in the US. Added 2/18/2017 For more information about antique paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3122 | Large Peter McDougall Millefiori Paperweight Pin
or Candy Dish With Gold Cross and Garland. Colorful pin
dish or candy dish with a cross of gold complex stardust millefiori
canes and an outer garland of simple blue and white canes. The
design is set on a translucent cobalt blue ground. It is
signed with a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Hand Made in
Crieff Scotland."
Scottish makers have a history of making candy dishes and other shapes out of paperweights when they realize that the product is flawed in some way. I suspect that they also make these dishes to order. In this case, I can see no flaws. A paperweight of this design was originally made by Perthshire exclusively for L.H. Selman, Ltd., so it is possible Peter continued to make the design for Selman after Perthshire closed. Peter McDougall started his glassmaking career as an apprentice at Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland back in the 1960s. When Perthshire was formed in 1968, he left Strathearn to move to Perthshire and worked there in many positions, eventually becoming Manager and Chief Glassmaker. Perthshire Paperweights closed early in 2002 after the death of the owner Neil Drysdale. Peter McDougall then made high quality glass paperweights at his own glass studio, PMcD Glass Studio Ltd. in Crieff, Scotland from 2002 until early 2012. The studio is now closed but Peter plans to continue to make a limited number of paperweights in the future. Large Size: 3 3/4" diameter by 1 1/2" high. The
base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the pin dish$125 postage paid in the US. Added 1/22/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4213 | Rare Strathearn P4 Madder (Red) Orchid Paperweight.
circa 1965-1979. This paperweight is Strathearn's P4 Orchid
Paperweight. Although I would describe it as a tulip,
Strathearn called it an orchid and described it as "an opening bud
encased in clear glass." It was made in three colors,
Turquoise, Madder (a reddish/pink color) and Sepia (a brownish/tan
color). It has seven petals and one stamen. The
paperweight has a worn paper label "STRATHEARN HAND MADE IN
SCOTLAND". The glass has a gray tint. A great addition
to any collection of Scottish paperweights.
Special thanks to Richard More's Strathearn website for providing the background information on this paperweight. According to Richard More, the P4 always had three stamen and had a flat base. This paperweight, however, appears to have only one stamen and the base is ground concave in the center. The Perthshire PP9 is similar but has a looser design. Note: I had trouble taking pictures due to the gray color of the glass. As a result, some of the pictures are dark. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Strathearn Glass was formed in a reorganization of Vasart glass in 1963. The new company was owned by Teachers Whiskey. The factory was taken over by Stuart Glass in 1980, and renamed Stuart Strathearn Ltd. Production ceased in 1992. Large Size: Just under 2 3/4” diameter by 2
1/4” high. The base is ground concave in the center. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 1/22/2017 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3550 | Large Baccarat 1979 Spaced Millefiori on Lace
Paperweight. dated 1979. This wonderful
spaced millefiori paperweight from Baccarat contains an arrangement
of 19 complex millefiori canes on a lace or upset muslin
ground. The canes are intricate and very colorful. See
the close-up picture for more detail. It is signed with a
Baccarat etched logo on the base. The edition number 17 is
also engraved base over the Baccarat logo and the date is also
engraved on the base. In addition, it has a "B1979" signature
cane in the design. A wonderful example.
This design was produced in 1979. It is not listed as a limited edition, but the individual paperweights were numbered sequentially. This is number 17 in that series. There is a signature cane "B 1979" shown in the pictures. The bottom has the acid etched Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1979) and the number (17). Baccarat started making modern millefiori paperweights in 1957. According to Paul Dunlop ( Baccarat Paperweights: Two Centuries of Beauty ), Baccarat started making the modern spaced millefiori paperweights on muslin or lace in 1958 and continued making undated examples until the limited editions were started in 1970. The exception is 1964 when special versions were produced for Baccarat's 200th anniversary. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by just over 2
1/16" high. The bottom is ground flat. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$495 postage paid in the US. Added 1/22/2017. For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3686 | Antique New England Glass Company Millefiori
Scramble Paperweight with Eagles, Heart, and Mystery Cane. circa
1860. This is an antique New England Glass Company (NEGC)
scramble or end of day paperweight. It is filled with a
nice assortment of millefiori canes, pieces of lampwork, and twists
in a variety of colors. There are stars, eagles (visible from
the bottom), and a mystery cane. Unfortunately this
paperweight also has a small internal fracture. A good study
piece offered at a bargain price.
Although many people collect scramble paperweights for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each factory. New England Glass Company (NEGC) operated in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1818 to 1888. You can read about paperweights from the New England Glass Company in the book by Hawley, The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies . Size: Just under 2 3/4” diameter by 1 5/8”
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 1/19/2017. For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2692 | Perthshire Annual Collection 1977B Limited Edition
Damson Plums Paperweight. circa 1977. This
paperweight features three rich purple colored plums with green
stems and leaves on a clear ground. It is faceted with a
complex faceting of one large top facet and 16 side facets (eight
large and eight smaller facets). The base is ground concave
and finished with a grid cut pattern that Perthshire calls a
strawberry cut. It is signed with a small engraved "P" on a
tiny extra facet near the base. The "P" is engraved in reverse
so it displays correctly when viewed from the top. It also has
a Perthshire paper label "PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF SCOTLAND"
on the base. It comes with its original box and original
certificate identifying this as #108 out of a limited edition of 500
weights.
Perthshire made this paperweight as one of their Annual Collection for 1977. This means the design was made only that one year and never again. The edition size for this paperweight was 500 weights, but only 315 were made, thus making this one of the rarer Perthshire paperweights. Each year's Annual Collection designs were lettered to indicated this special status. In 1977, there were six Annual Collection designs, designated 1977A through 1977F. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. There are three books on Perthshire Paperweights. If you collect Perthshire paperweights, you should have them in your library. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Small Size : Just under 2 1/8" diameter by 1 7/16"
high. Perthshire calls it a miniature but it is slightly
larger than a true miniature. It is faceted with one large
top facet and 16 side facets (eight large and eight smaller
facets). There is an extra tiny facet near the base where
the "P" signature is engraved in reverse. The base is ground
concave and finished with a strawberry (grid) cut. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$245 postage paid in the US. Added 1/4/2017. For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1035 | Old Chinese Two Color Fantasy Flower Paperweight
with Leaves and Bud - Copy of Baccarat Antique.
Circa
1930. This is a copy of a French Baccarat 12 petal
fantasy flower paperweight with bud made in the classic period from
1845-1860. The two color flower has a complex millefiori
center cane, five leaves, and a stem. The ground is
clear. The style dates from the 1920s or 1930s and is almost
an antique.
Note: In this example the flower separated slightly from the stem during the stem during encasement. Chinese Paperweights were made in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s as an attempt to duplicate 19th Century antique weights made in the United States and France. Because they are almost 100 years old, they are very collectible and every collector should own a few of these as study pieces. The history of the early Chinese paperweights is mostly anecdotal as no written records have been discovered. The story is that an American dealer sent examples of paperweights made by the New England Glass Company (NEGC), Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S), Millville makers, and French factories to a Chinese factory and requested copies be made. The results are interesting and sometimes confused with the originals by inexperienced collectors. The earliest pictures of these paperweights appeared in the book American Glass Paperweights by Francis Edgar Smith published in 1939. Smith was aware that at least one of the paperweights shown in his book was Chinese. Since Smith was not an expert collector, this indicates that there was some general knowledge that these were Chinese prior to 1939. In the United States, the Tariff Act of 1930 required that every imported item must be conspicuously and indelibly marked in English with its country of origin. As a result, many of these Chinese paperweights are scratch signed on the bottom "CHINA". Many are also not signed, suggesting that either they were imported prior to 1930 or the importer ignored the requirement. Most likely the earliest Chinese paperweights were made prior to 1930. The Chinese makers often combined design features found in paperweights from different makers. For example they copied the latticinio grounds used by New England Glass Company and used them with copies of Baccarat Pansy weights. The original Baccarat pansy paperweights never had a latticinio ground. They copied the pedestal rose from Millville and then used the pedestal bottom with other weights. It is fun to collect all the variations. In general, Chinese paperweights from this period have a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass also has a soft almost oily feel. Frequently they have bubbles or debris in the glass. And because of their age, many of these have minor scratches or other surface defects. Size: 2 11/16" diameter by
2" high. The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 12/10/2016 For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4650 | Early Debbie Tarsitano Three Tier Red Flower with
Buds Paperweight. undated circa 1978 -
1980. This paperweight features a three layer red flower with
upright yellow stamens. The flower with two buds and striped
green leaves are placed on a curved stem that follows the curvature
of the paperweight. The ground is clear glass. The
petals sparkle with gold aventurine - although it was hard to
capture this in the pictures. Signed at the base of the stem
with the conjoined "DT" Tarsitano signature cane used by both Delmo
and Debbie Tarsitano from about 1978 to 1980. A fantastic
paperweight.
Please ignore the glare from the lights. I had difficulty photographing this paperweight because of the high dome. Debbie Tarsitano has been making wonderful paperweights since 1972, when she and her father Delmo Tarsitano set up a glass studio to explore a shared obsession with glass. While developing her glass artwork, Debbie earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Associate Degree in Journalism from Hofstra University, Long Island, NY. Her work has evolved from simple floral paperweights in the 1970s to contemporary sculptural expressions. The results are powerful, fresh images encased in glass. Her florals are outstanding. A formally trained painter, her passions lie in creating work that goes beyond traditional glass, building a bridge to the greater world of art. She has collaborated with many internationally known glass artists, including Roland (Max) Erlacher, Ed Poore, Dino Rosin, Jiri Harcuba, and others. Debbie and Delmo Tarsitano shared the same signature cane, feeling that their work was individual and distinctive and collectors would have no difficulty distinguishing between their art. Although they did not date their work, the signature cane changed over time and provided approximate dates for the works. The cane in this paperweight was used from about 1978 until 1980. See Andrew Dohan's Dictionary of Paperweight Signature Canes for more information on the Tarsitano signature canes. Size: 2 9/16" diameter by 2 3/16""
high. The base is ground concave. Very high
dome. I had difficulty photographing this paperweight
because of the high dome. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Added 12/5/2016 For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 825 | Magnum Alex Stelzer Libbey Glass Name Floral
Paperweight "E. BROWN". Circa 1915. This is a desirable
Libbey Glass Name Weight. Four icepick flowers around a
central icepick flower. There is a central bubble in each
flower. The name “E. BROWN” is formed of tiny bits of clear
glass. The glass is grayish as is typical of Toledo folk
weights.
This style of paperweight is attributed to Alex Stelzer, a Czechoslovakian immigrant glass worker, who worked at Libbey Glass in Toledo Ohio from 1907 to 1948. It is a folk weights made by the glass worker in his free time and often given away. Stelzer had a friendship with Arthur Gorham, a well known paperweight collector and dealer who sold paperweights in his shop in Millville New Jersey. The Stelzer name is spelled in some places as Steltzer. The only printed reference I would find on Alex Stelzer was in the 1970 edition of Jean Melvin's American Glass Paperweights and their Makers. Very Large Size: 3 1/2" diameter by 3 1/8"
high. The bottom is ground flat with a matte finish. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$145 postage paid in the US. Price reduced (was $195) 11/29/2016. For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 585 | Large Antique Footed Millville Umbrella
Paperweight. circa 1860-1910 . This style of old
paperweight is associated with Millville. Examples date from
as early as 1860 and continued to be made until about 1912.
Many, if not all, were made at the Whitall Tatum factory in
Millville. The design consists of a white mushroom shape with
a center bubble. Additional colored bits of glass are added
and melted into the top. The top is of the mushroom is pushed
down with a crimp to form an umbrella shape with ribs or
pleats. This is a large showy example.
The umbrella shaped weights were originally modeled to resemble the wild tiger lily of Southern New Jersey. You can read about umbrella weights from Millville in the book Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersey: An American Folk Art by Clarence A. Newell . It is not possible to identify the exact maker, but John Ruhlander, Emil Stanger, Marcus Kuntz, and Horace Rhubarth, and Ralph Barber are all known to have made weights of this style. Sometimes the style is also used as part of an inkwell or other object. Large Size : Just under 3 1/3" diameter by 3 3/5"
high. The diameter of the foot is 3". The bottom is
finished although there is some remnant of the pontil mark.
For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$495 postage paid in the US. Price reduced (was $645) 11/29/2016. For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2228 | Antique New England Glass Company Sulphide
Paperweight of Lajos Kossuth. circa 1851. Antique
Sulphide paperweight featuring Lajos Kossuth, former
Governor-President of Hungary. It is inscribed on the back
"EX-GOVERNOR OF HUNGARY SET AT LIBERTY BY THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA 1851".
Kossuth was a political reformer who fought for liberty for Hungary and held the office of Governor-President from April 14 to August 11, 1849. He was appointed to this position after the declaration of Hungarian independence from the Hapsburg Monarchy. He was widely honored during his lifetime as a freedom fighter and advocate of democracy in Europe. He demanded parliamentary government for Hungary and constitutional government for the rest of Austria. After abdicating the post of Governor-President he was effectively under house arrest until he was allowed to leave the Ottoman Empire in September 1851 on the American frigate Mississippi. He then toured Britain and the United States in a futile effort to get support for his cause. He won favor in New England and souvenirs and other commemorative items were created to celebrate his visit. This paperweight was probably one of the commemorative objects created around the time of his visit. Some authors suggest the inscription refers to US support of his cause. Instead, I think it may refer to his rescue from house arrest by the US. New England Glass Company (NEGC) operated in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1818 to 1888. You can read about paperweights from the New England Glass Company in the book by Hawley, The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies . Most texts attribute this paperweight to the New England Glass Factory. It is believed that this paperweight may have been made for the 1851 Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London. However, the attribution is subject to challenge and the precise origin of this sulphide paperweight remains elusive. The Bergstrom Mahler Museum has an identical paperweight which they attribute to Clichy. Hawley attributes this to NEGC in his 1997 book The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies . However, in his latest 2011 book on NEGC, he states that no firm evidence exists for this attribution, except that the specific gravity and fluorescence match that of NEGC. Hollister discusses this paperweight in his Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights and also states that their is no firm evidence tying the paperweight to NEGC or any other factory. My own opinion is that the glass quality is more typical of NEGC than the French factories. It may have originated in Europe or at another American factory. Ignore the glare from the lights. It was difficult to photograph this paperweight. The sulphide is white. Size: 2 9/16" diameter by 1 11/16" high. The
base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$295 postage paid in the US. 11/28/2016 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2409 | Antique Clichy Faceted Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight with 11 roses. circa 1845-1860. This
wonderful antique Clichy concentric millefiori paperweight has a
classic arrangement of three concentric rings of complex millefiori
around a blue pastry mold cane. The inner ring has eleven
green and white roses. The second ring consists of fifteen
pink pastry mold canes. The outer ring has an
alternating pattern of 24 canes with six purple pastry mold canes
and 18 pink and green canes. The 18 pink and green complex
canes resemble the color of pink and green roses. In all,
there are 51 millefiori canes over a clear ground. The canes
are intricate and very colorful. See the close-up picture for
more detail. There are six side facets and a top facet.
A fantastic paperweight.
Clichy paperweights are highly sought after by collectors for their complex canes and brilliant colors. Clichy paperweights with rose canes are especially desirable. The Clichy factory was founded at Billancourt near Paris in 1837. Shortly after that it moved to Clichy-la-Garenne, which gave the factory its best known name. They stayed in operation until about the 1870s. Size: 2 5/8" diameter by 1 3/4" high. The base
is ground concave. There are six side facets and a top
facet. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$995 postage paid in the US. Price reduced (was $1,295) 11/27/2016 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2132 | Antique Clichy Sulphide Paperweight of Victoria
and Albert. circa 1851. Clichy Sulphide paperweight
featuring Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and Prince Albert
(1819-1861). The sulphide is fairly high in the dome of the
paperweight and is over a clear ground. A wonderful
example.
A variation of this paperweight on a red colored ground and attributed to Clichy recently sold at a well known paperweight auction for $1,100 plus a 20% bidders premium. At my asking price, this is a bargain for a paperweight in perfect condition. The Clichy factory was founded at Billancourt near Paris in 1837. Shortly after that it moved to Clichy-la-Garenne, which gave the factory its best known name. They stayed in operation until about the 1870s. It is believed that this paperweight may have been made for the 1851 Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London. Prince Albert conceived of the exhibition which was considered the first world's fair. The exhibition was intended to advance the arts and sciences. The precise origin of this sulphide paperweight remains elusive. The Bergstrom Mahler Museum has an identical paperweight which they attribute to Clichy. The Art Institute of Chicago has a version in which the sulphide was colored before being encased. This paperweight, attributed to Clichy, was included in the 1978 Corning Museum of Glass "Paperweights - Flowers which clothe the meadows" exhibition. The Jokelson Collection had a variation with an uncolored (white) sulphide over a green ground. The Jokelson paperweight is also attributed to Clichy. Most authors agree with the Clichy attribution, but there are some authors who attribute the paperweight to Baccarat in France and even to the New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ignore the glare from the lights. It was difficult to photograph this paperweight due to the brilliance of the glass. The sulphide is white but I have included some low light pictures to show the detail. Size: Just over 2 3/4" diameter by just over 1 3/4"
high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$745 postage paid in the US. Price reduced (was $945) 11/27/2016 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2652 | Magnum Baccarat Limited Edition Yellow Campanule
(Bellflower) Paperweight. Dated 1983. This is a
spectacular yellow bellflower paperweight with three flowers and a
bud plus six leaves and a stem. The bellflowers are a rich
yellow with deep ribbing. The design is placed over a
transparent blue ground. It is signed in the design with a
millefiori signature cane "B 1983" and also signed on the bottom
with the Baccarat logo. The signature cane is distorted and
incomplete. Perfect condition.
This design was produced only in 1983 in a limited edition of 175 paperweights. This is number 103 in that series. There is a distorted signature cane "B 1983" shown in the pictures. The bottom has the acid etched Baccarat logo plus it is engraved with the year (1983) and the number (103). It comes with an authentic Baccarat box. Some sellers on eBay sell this for the full retail price of $1,573, but my price is much lower. Magnum Size: Just under 3 1/4" diameter by just over 2
3/8" high. Bottom is ground slightly concave. Made by
Baccarat in France in 1983. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat started making modern millefiori paperweights in 1957. According to Paul Dunlop ( Baccarat Paperweights: Two Centuries of Beauty ), Baccarat started making the modern spaced millefiori paperweights on muslin or lace in 1958 and continued making undated examples until the limited editions were started in 1970. The exception is 1964 when special versions were produced for Baccarat's 200th anniversary. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Price reduced (was $695) 11/20/2016 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2950 | Perthshire 1981 Limited Edition Christmas
Silhouettes Millefiori Paperweight. dated 1981.
This paperweight features five colored picture canes with Christmas
themes arranged around an unusual complex center "doily" cane.
The picture canes are of a snowman, Christmas tree, reindeer,
church, and Santa Claus. These is surrounded by a garland of
doily canes and set on a translucent green ground. It is
signed on the base with a "P1981" signature cane. It also has
a Perthshire paper label "PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF SCOTLAND"
on the base. This is one of a limited edition of 300, of which
only 225 were made. A showy unusual paperweight.
The Perthshire Christmas Paperweights were special limited editions that changed design each year. They were near the top of the Perthshire line. Perthshire was a small company in Crieff, Scotland that was devoted to the creation of quality glass paperweights. They stopped production in January 2002 after more than 30 years of production. Their paperweights were consistently high in quality and yet remained reasonable in price. The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent founded Ysart Brothers Glass and produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955 The company name was later changed to Vasart Glass. Stuart Drysdale was hired manage the business side of the enterprise in 1960. The company evolved into a new company Strathearn owned by Teachers Whiskey. In 1967 Drysdale was sent a magazine article on antique paperweights (Woman's Day, July 1965). The inspired him to try to produce weights comparable to the French antiques. With this goal in mind, he and several of the glass workers left Strathearn to found Perthshire in 1968. Large Size: Just under 2 15/16" diameter by 2" high. The
base is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$395 postage paid in the US. Price Reduced (was $450) 11/20/2016 For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3953 | Small Murano Spaced Millefiori Paperweight with
Five Large Complex Canes. circa 1960-1980.
Colorful millefiori paperweight with a spaced millefiori design
consisting of five identical large pink canes with multi-colored
centers. There is an opaque lilac colored ground.
An interesting design. This could also be called an open
concentric arrangement.
This paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Small Size: 2 1/8" diameter by 1 7/8" high. The
bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$39 postage paid in the US. Added 10/9/2016 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3950 | Very Large Glass Eye Studio Lions Mane Jellyfish
Egg Shaped Paperweight. Dated 2007. This
egg shaped paperweight features a pink Lion's Mane jellyfish with
its tentacles reaching down to the base. It is set in clear
glass with controlled bubbles which add sparkle and dimension.
There is a larger bubble under the umbrella. The design is
part of the GES Environmental Series that is now retired. It
is signed on the base with the engraved name "Lions Mane" and the
acid etch "GES 07".
The Lion's Mane is the largest of all jellyfish, with its pink hued umbrella approaching a diameter of up to 6 feet and its tentacles sometimes reaching 90 feet downward. It is found in arctic waters. It weights up to a ton. Glass Eye Studio was founded in 1978 in Seattle, Washington. Managed by Dale Leman, GES is a production glass company that produces a range of glass products. Most paperweights are signed with the acid etched initials GES, although some are signed with the engraved Glass Eye Studio signature or even a signature cane. Each GES glass product includes some ash from the 1980 eruption of the nearby Mount St. Helens volcano. Large Size: Just under 4 1/2" tall
by 2 3/4" in diameter. The bottom ground flat For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 10/2/2016. For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3685 | Large Modern Baccarat Paneled Millefiori
Paperweight. Circa 1960 - 1970. Unusual
paneled millefiori paperweight from Baccarat. The paperweight
has an interesting variety of complex millefiori canes arranged in a
paneled pattern. It is signed with a Baccarat logo on the
base. I have not seen this unusual design before, but the
millefiori canes are similar to those found in the special 1964
Baccarat 200th anniversary commemorative paperweights.
Definitely a rare version of a modern Baccarat millefiori
paperweight.
This paperweight is undated, but I believe it was made as an experiment in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat started making modern millefiori paperweights in 1957. According to Paul Dunlop ( Baccarat Paperweights: Two Centuries of Beauty ), Baccarat started making the modern spaced millefiori paperweights on muslin or lace in 1958 and continued making undated examples until the limited editions were started in 1970. The exception is 1964 when special versions were produced for Baccarat's 200th anniversary. Large Size: Just under 3” diameter by 1 15/16”
high. Bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$595 postage paid in the US. Added 9/20/2016 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4388 | Large Antique Clichy Faceted Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1845-1860. This wonderful
antique Clichy concentric millefiori paperweight has a classic
arrangement of three concentric rings of complex millefiori around a
blue pastry mold cane. The inner ring has nine Clichy eight
lobed edelweiss florets. The second ring consists of fifteen
purple eight lobed florets. The outer ring has an alternating
pattern of 24 pastry mold canes with six green pastry mold canes and
18 pink pastry mold canes. In all, there are 49 millefiori
canes over a clear ground. The canes are intricate and very
colorful. See the close-up picture for more detail.
There are six side facets and a top facet. A fantastic
paperweight.
Clichy paperweights are highly sought after by collectors for their complex canes and brilliant colors. Clichy paperweights with rose canes are especially desirable. The Clichy factory was founded at Billancourt near Paris in 1837. Shortly after that it moved to Clichy-la-Garenne, which gave the factory its best known name. They stayed in operation until about the 1870s. Large Size: 2 5/8" diameter by just under 1 3/4"
high. The base is ground concave. There are six side
facets and a large top facet. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$950 postage paid in the US. Added 8/21/2016 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4616 | Large Chinese Pedestal Flower with Bird
Paperweight . Probably 1970 or later. This
is a good example of a Chinese adaptation of features of older
American weights. It features a crude lampwork bird sitting on
top of a green flower mounted on a pedestal form. The pedestal
form is generally associated with Chinese copies of Millville crimp
roses. The bird in this setting is uniquely Chinese. The
pedestal has a double foot. An interesting addition to any
collection of paperweights.
I believe believe this is a recent example dating from 1970 or later because the variety was not documented earlier and the thin leaves are more typical of post 1970 Chinese flowers. Chinese Paperweights were made in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s as an attempt to duplicate 19th Century antique weights made in the United States and France. Because they are almost 100 years old, they are very collectible and every collector should own a few of these as study pieces. The history of the early Chinese paperweights is mostly anecdotal as no written records have been discovered. The story is that an American dealer sent examples of paperweights made by the New England Glass Company (NEGC), Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S), Millville makers, and French factories to a Chinese factory and requested copies be made. The results are interesting and sometimes confused with the originals by inexperienced collectors. The earliest pictures of these paperweights appeared in the book American Glass Paperweights by Francis Edgar Smith published in 1939. Smith was aware that at least one of the paperweights shown in his book was Chinese. Since Smith was not an expert collector, this indicates that there was some general knowledge that these were Chinese prior to 1939. In the United States, the Tariff Act of 1930 required that every imported item must be conspicuously and indelibly marked in English with its country of origin. As a result, many of these Chinese paperweights are scratch signed on the bottom "CHINA". Many are also not signed, suggesting that either they were imported prior to 1930 or the importer ignored the requirement. Most likely the earliest Chinese paperweights were made prior to 1930. The Chinese makers often combined design features found in paperweights from different makers. For example they copied the latticinio grounds used by New England Glass Company and used them with copies of Baccarat Pansy weights. The original Baccarat pansy paperweights never had a latticinio ground. They copied the pedestal rose from Millville and then used the pedestal bottom with other weights. It is fun to collect all the variations. In general, Chinese paperweights from the 1930s have a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass also has a soft almost oily feel. Frequently they have bubbles or debris in the glass. And because of their age, many of these have minor scratches or other surface defects. Those made in the 1970s and later have better quality glass. Large Size: Just under 2 3/4” diameter by just
under 3 1/2" high. The pedestal bottom has the
remainder of the pontil mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/21/2016 For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4387 | Antique Baccarat Four Row Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight. Circa 1845 -1860. Colorful Baccarat four
row concentric millefiori paperweight with a clear ground from the
classic period of antique paperweights (1845-1860). There are
four rings of complex millefiori canes around a complex center
cane. This example contains an interesting assortment of
Baccarat canes. A wonderful example that is colorful and well
executed.
Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. Baccarat was founded in 1776 in Alsace-Lorraine with the name of Verrerie de Sainte Anne. The original location was near the town of Baccarat. Today the firm is known as Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat. Most collectors refer to three periods of Baccarat paperweight production.
Baccarat continued to make paperweights after the classic period (1845-1860), but little is known about the extent of the product line or who made the paperweights. It is known that by 1910, the offering in the catalog had dwindled to pansy paperweights, simple open concentric paperweights, and rock paperweights. Popular lore attributes 1920-1934 Baccarat paperweights to a Mr. Dupont, who supposedly was the last worker at Baccarat to know the secrets of paperweight making. These paperweights were sold at a Baccarat retail shop in Paris. No collector or scholar ever met Mr. Dupont although at least one visited the Baccarat factory and asked to meet with him. The weights stopped appearing in the shop in 1934. New research of the Baccarat archives has identified the actual maker as Joseph Boyé (1877-1948). He is recorded as the maker of millefiori canes and millefiori paperweights during this period (1920-1934). Very little is known about Mr. Boyé, but there is enough similarity in the millefiori canes to suggest that he had access to the original molds or some of the original millefiori canes from the classic period. He later trained another glassworker, Georges Brocard, to make open concentric paperweights in 1946. Armed with this knowledge, Brocard was influential in the revival of paperweight making at Baccarat in the 1950s. Another glassworker, Louis Idoux (1882-1941), is recorded as making the Baccarat pansy paperweights during the 1920-1934 period. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights and the Dupont connection in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweights by Robert Hall. Medium Size: Just under 2 1/2" diameter by just
under 1 1/2" high. The bottom is ground concave.
For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 8/14/2016 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4408 | Charles Kaziun Jr. Miniature Tilted Pedestal Spider Lily
Paperweight with cobalt blue aventurine ground. circa
1960-1980. This is a miniature pedestal paperweight with a
white spider lily and four leaves on a cobalt blue aventurine
ground. There is a yellow and orange millefiori stamen in the
center. The paperweight is tilted at a 45 degree angle so it
displays beautifully. Signed on the bottom of the turquoise
ground with a gold K.
This design was Charles Kaziun's signature design and one of the most popular with collectors. This size and style was often referred to as a #1. Charles Kaziun Jr. was one of the most famous of the American paperweight artists. He is often credited with contributing to the rebirth of interest in paperweight making. He made paperweights from the 1940s until his death in 1992. His weights are usually signed with a gold K or a special millefiori cane containing a K. You can read about him in many books, including: Signature: Signed on the bottom of the cobalt blue aventurine ground with Kaziun's gold K. Condition: Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$425 postage paid in the US. Added 8/8/2016 For more paperweights by Charles Kaziun, see my Kaziun Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4632 | Charles Kaziun Jr. Vogue Lady Gold Foil and Millefiori Micro
Miniature Faceted Paperweight. circa 1950-1980.
This paperweight features a gold foil silhouette referred to as the
"Vogue Lady" surrounded by a garland of six white millefiori canes
with green star centers. The Vogue Lady is more than a
silhouette, it is embossed to show details such as the hair, lips,
nose, and neck. The arrangement is placed over a translucent
amethyst ground. It is a true micro miniature paperweight,
almost button size, faceted with six side facets and a larger top
facet. It is signed with a gold foil K on the base. This
is an especially nice example with amazing detail.
This paperweight appears in photograph SI-30 on page 136 of the book Magic in the Glass - The Paperweight Artistry of Charles Kaziun, Jr. by Bernard A. Drabeck. Drabeck states that the gold foil is 24 karat gold. Charles Kaziun Jr. was one of the most famous of the American paperweight artists. He is often credited with contributing to the rebirth of interest in paperweight making. He made paperweights from the 1940s until his death in 1992. His weights are usually signed with a gold K or a special millefiori cane containing a K. You can read about him in many books, including: Signature: This paperweight is signed with Kaziun's gold K on the bottom. Condition: Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Execution: There is at least one tiny bubble in the glass, visible in the pictures at 9 o'clock.. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$495 postage paid in the US. Added 8/2/2016 For more paperweights by Charles Kaziun, see my Kaziun Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2038 | Large Antique Czech / Bohemian Faceted Masaryk Picture
Paperweight. c.1900-1937. Large faceted
paperweight with a picture to Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first
president of Czechoslovakia. The picture is placed on a
sulphide frame that rests on a multi-colored cushion of glass
bits. The frame has ornamental features on each side of the
picture. The name "T. G. Masaryk" is at the base under the
picture, although the initials are obscured by a bubble at the base
of the frame. The paperweight has one large window facet and a
fancy four part facet at the top. The paperweight was made in
Northern Bohemia during the period 1900 to 1930. The glass is
heavy crystal and weighs just over 26 ounces. An important
paperweight of historical significance.
Masaryk was the president of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1935. He died in 1937 at the age of 87. The picture was taken earlier in his life. Most likely this paperweight was produced during his presidency or possibly at the time of his death. It is also possible that it was produced earlier in his life when he was a political activist advocating for the creation of an independent Czechoslovakia. Von Brackel discusses this style of paperweight in his book Paperweights - Historicism - Art Nouveau - Art Deco . He shows several examples on pages 102 to 195 with a range of values up to $480. Unfortunately, the picture in this paperweight is flawed by a defect and bubble covering part of the face. The price has been reduced to reflect this flaw. Large Size: Just over 3" diameter by 3 3/4" high.
The bottom is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$95 postage paid in the US. Added 7/20/2016 For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2496 | Rare Chinese Copy of a NEGC Faceted Millefiori Nosegay
Paperweight.
circa
1930. This is an almost antique Chinese copy of a New England
Glass Company (NEGC) Posy Paperweight made circa 1860. It has
the fancy NEGC quatrefoil faceting and setup. The millefiori
nosegay consists of three red, white, and yellow complex millefiori
canes with four green leaves and a stem. All this surrounded
by two garlands of complex millefiori, one made up pink and blue
flowers, the other made pink and white flowers with green
centers. This great setup is on top of a latticinio swirl
ground. There are twelve side facets (four large and eight
smaller) plus the four part top facet with a notch between
each. This is a fantastic addition to any collection of
antique paperweights. In some ways, the execution of this
example is better than the original NEGC, since NEGC examples usual
have tipped or cracked canes and the posy is often smudged.
Chinese Paperweights were made in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s as an attempt to duplicate 19th Century antique weights made in the United States and France. Because they are almost 100 years old, they are very collectible and every collector should own a few of these as study pieces. The history of the early Chinese paperweights is mostly anecdotal as no written records have been discovered. The story is that an American dealer sent examples of paperweights made by the New England Glass Company (NEGC), Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S), Millville makers, and French factories to a Chinese factory and requested copies be made. The results are interesting and sometimes confused with the originals by inexperienced collectors. The earliest pictures of these paperweights appeared in the book American Glass Paperweights by Francis Edgar Smith published in 1939. Smith was aware that at least one of the paperweights shown in his book was Chinese. Since Smith was not an expert collector, this indicates that there was some general knowledge that these were Chinese prior to 1939. In the United States, the Tariff Act of 1930 required that every imported item must be conspicuously and indelibly marked in English with its country of origin. As a result, many of these Chinese paperweights are scratch signed on the bottom "CHINA". Many are also not signed, suggesting that either they were imported prior to 1930 or the importer ignored the requirement. Most likely the earliest Chinese paperweights were made prior to 1930. The Chinese makers often combined design features found in paperweights from different makers. For example they copied the latticinio grounds used by New England Glass Company and used them with copies of Baccarat Pansy weights. The original Baccarat pansy paperweights never had a latticinio ground. They copied the pedestal rose from Millville and then used the pedestal bottom with other weights. It is fun to collect all the variations. In general, Chinese paperweights from this period have a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass also has a soft almost oily feel. Frequently they have bubbles or debris in the glass. And because of their age, many of these have minor scratches or other surface defects. Large Size: Just under 3" diameter by 2" high.
The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$225 postage paid in the US. Added 7/20/2016 For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image |
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Charles Kaziun Jr. Concentric Millefiori with Silhouettes and
Torsade Paperweight. circa 1960-1980. Charles Kaziun Jr.
concentric millefiori paperweight with six complex millefiori canes
around a central complex cane with a duck silhouette. The
circle of six complex millefiori include a rose cane, shamrock
silhouette, turtle silhouette, and heart silhouette. The other
two complex canes each have miniature silhouettes in the center, one
has a shamrock and the other has a heart surrounded by star
canes. The design is surrounded by a purple and white twisted
torsade with a complex Kaziun signature cane joining the ends.
The complex signature cane has a blue K surrounded by two rings of
millefiori. All of this is set on an opaque turquoise
ground. In addition, it is signed with a gold foil K on the
base. This is an especially nice example.
Charles Kaziun Jr. was one of the most famous of the American paperweight artists. He is often credited with contributing to the rebirth of interest in paperweight making. He made paperweights from the 1940s until his death in 1992. His weights are usually signed with a gold K or a special millefiori cane containing a K. You can read about him in many books, including: Signature: This paperweight is signed twice, once with Kaziun's complex signature cane in the design and a second time with Kaziun's gold K on the bottom. Condition: Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweightSOLD. Added 7/10/2016 For more paperweights by Charles Kaziun, see my Kaziun Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image  |
| 2045 | Unusual Chinese Mosaic Butterfly Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1950-70. Unusual Chinese millefiori
with mosaic canes arranged in the shape of a butterfly over a green
leaf ground. Not a lot is known about this style.
Sometimes there is a flower cane or some Chinese writing in the
design. The style is believed to be from 1950-1970.
Chinese Paperweights were made in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s as an attempt to duplicate 19th Century antique weights made in the United States and France. Because they are almost 100 years old, they are very collectible and every collector should own a few of these as study pieces. The history of the early Chinese paperweights is mostly anecdotal as no written records have been discovered. The story is that an American dealer sent examples of paperweights made by the New England Glass Company (NEGC), Boston & Sandwich Glass Company (B&S), Millville makers, and French factories to a Chinese factory and requested copies be made. The results are interesting and sometimes confused with the originals by inexperienced collectors. The earliest pictures of these paperweights appeared in the book American Glass Paperweights by Francis Edgar Smith published in 1939. Smith was aware that at least one of the paperweights shown in his book was Chinese. Since Smith was not an expert collector, this indicates that there was some general knowledge that these were Chinese prior to 1939. In the United States, the Tariff Act of 1930 required that every imported item must be conspicuously and indelibly marked in English with its country of origin. As a result, many of these Chinese paperweights are scratch signed on the bottom "CHINA". Many are also not signed, suggesting that either they were imported prior to 1930 or the importer ignored the requirement. Most likely the earliest Chinese paperweights were made prior to 1930. The Chinese makers often combined design features found in paperweights from different makers. For example they copied the latticinio grounds used by New England Glass Company and used them with copies of Baccarat Pansy weights. The original Baccarat pansy paperweights never had a latticinio ground. They copied the pedestal rose from Millville and then used the pedestal bottom with other weights. It is fun to collect all the variations. In general, Chinese paperweights from this period have a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass also has a soft almost oily feel. Frequently they have bubbles or debris in the glass. And because of their age, many of these have minor scratches or other surface defects. Small Size: Just over 2 5/16" diameter by just
over 1 5/8" high. The bottom is ground concave with a remnant of
the pontil mark remaining. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$49 postage paid in the US. Added 7/4/2016 For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image |
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Paul Ysart Signed Red Flower with Seven Leaves and
Stem in Millefiori Garland Paperweight. circa
1946-1972. Large red flower with seven leaves and a stem
placed in the center of a colorful millefiori garland. There
is a millefiori cane in the center of the flower. The leaves
and flower are striped and variegated. The ground is a
translucent brown or amber color. This paperweight is signed
with Paul Ysart's "PY" cane near the stem. It dates from the
postwar period and is from his postwar Moncrieff period or his
Caithness period (1962-1972).
The birth of Scottish paperweight making is credited to the glass making family of Salvador Ysart, who moved to Crieff, Scotland from Spain in 1922. They worked first at John Moncrieff Ltd and made the earliest Scottish paperweights during that period. Paul Ysart (1904-1991), originally Pablo Moreno Isart, was apprenticed to his father as a glass worker at Moncrieff in 1922. He worked on the production of Monart Art Glass. Paperweights were primarily an after hours activity. Paul made his first paperweight in the early 1930s. Production was interrupted by World War II and the Monart line was not restarted until 1946. In 1946 Salvadore and his sons Augustine and Vincent left Moncrieff and founded Ysart Brothers Glass. They produced glass wares under the Vasart label. Salvador Ysart died in 1955. Paul stayed at Moncrieff from until 1962, when he joined Caithness as a Training Officer. While at Caithness, he trained Peter Holmes, Colin Terris, and William Manson, among others. After he retired from Caithness in 1972, he continued to make paperweights initially under the Harland label and then the Highland Paperweights label until 1979. You can read more about Paul Ysart in the book by Colin Mahoney Masterpieces: The Paperweights of Paul Ysart. Large Size: Just under 3" diameter by 2 1/16"
high. The base is ground flat. . For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$950 postage paid in the US. Added 4/26/2016 For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 2263 | Vasart / Lassman Millefiori Paperweight Bar Set. circa
1950s-1960s.
The firm of Lassman & Co designed and produced this bar set
during the 1950s and 1960s. The millefiori paperweight handles were
made by the Ysart family of Scotland under the Vasart label.
The millefiori paperweight handles each have a concentric design
that matches the setup and canes of other Vasart paperweights.
Note: The case is in very poor condition. This set is priced only slightly above the price of the individual pieces. The maker of this item was Lassman & Co. located in the Kilburn area of North London. Samuel Lassman purchased the paperweight handles from George Dunlop's Pirelli Glass in London. Pirelli obtained them from Vasart. Pirelli also took some assembled inventory back from Lassman and sold the barware items under the Pirelli label. Pirelli also included the line in their 1959 catalog. There are very few complete sets known to exist with the case. A smaller set is shown on page 157 of the book on Ysart Glass published by Volo (the section on Vasart was written by Frank Andrews). There is also a display of another smaller set in the museum in Perth which attributes this to Vasart Art Glass. For more information, see the article by Angela Bowey and Allan Port “Pirelli, Vasart and the Ysart Family” in the Paperweight Collectors Association Inc. Annual Bulletin 2015. I will include a copy of the article with the purchase of this bar set. For more information, see my web page on Lassman & Co . The six piece set is complete with the original "leatherette" carrying case. It includes the following pieces:
Condition: The case is in very poor condition. The case is losing its cover and the inside lining has some stains (both on the back and below some of the pieces). The case also has tarnished / pitted brass hardware. Some of the bar pieces show signs of wear and use. The worst of the defects is the can opener which has some chrome and metal loss at the tip and the corkscrew has a defect on the thread. Signature: The word "ENGLAND" appears on the metal part of the can opener and corkscrew. Each cup of the Double Jigger Measure and the the cork of the Two Piece Pourer are marked "MADE IN ENGLAND". The bottle opener, spoon, and case are unmarked. $995 postage paid in the US. Added 4/2/2016. Click on the picture or this link to see more details on this set. |
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| 1616 | Huge Murano Magnum Close Packed Concentric
Millefiori Paperweight or Doorstop. circa 1930-70. This
is an unusually large Murano millefiori paperweight. The
millefiori canes are arranged in six concentric circles around the
center cane. There is an interesting variety of millefiori
canes. The glass is slightly yellow. The canes are
smudged on one side as shown in the pictures. Really
big. It is 4 5/8" diameter by 3 5/8" high and weighs 4 pounds
4 oz. A magnificent paperweight that will make an
impression on your guests.
This paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Huge Size: 4 5/8" diameter by 3 5/8"
high. The base is polished flat. It weighs 4 pounds 4
oz. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$225 postage paid in the US. Added 2/22/2016 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 1770 | Antique German Paperweight with Picture of Student
in Fraternity Uniform. circa 1870-1915. This is an
antique paperweight with a photograph or painting of a young man in
a military type uniform. The image is on a white enamel plaque
and is either a painting or a hand colored photograph. The
enamel plaque is placed in the center of a spatter or frit
ground. An interesting and rare type of paperweight. The
paperweight was most likely made in Germany or Silesia. A
great addition to any collection of antique European
paperweights.
Note: There is a fracture surrounding the image that is caused by incompatibilities between the plaque and the surrounding glass. This type of fracture is, unfortunately, fairly common in plaque weights of that period. After considerable research, I have concluded that the uniform is probably one used by a German or Austrian university student fraternity or student association. Members of these student associations surrounded themselves with the symbols of their fraternities. The uniforms are quite commonly depicted on German steins and other "studentica" of the period. For more information, see http://stein-collectors.org/library/articles/Student/studentica.html Size: 2 1/2” diameter by 1 3/4” high. The
bottom is fire finished with remnants of the pontil mark. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$265 postage paid in the US. Added 2/3/2016 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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Antique New England Glass Company Millefiori
Scramble Paperweight. c. 1860. This is a wonderful
antique New England Glass Company (NEGC) scramble or end of day
paperweight. It is filled with an assortment of complex
canes and twists in a variety of colors. A great
example.
Although many people collect scramble paperweights for their own merit, scrambles are also valuable tools for learning to identify the different colors and canes used by each factory. New England Glass Company (NEGC) operated in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1818 to 1888. You can read about paperweights from the New England Glass Company in the book by Hawley, The Art of the Paperweight - The Boston & Sandwich and New England Glass Companies . Size: 2 9/16” diameter by just over 1 3/4”
high. The bottom is ground concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$145 postage paid in the US. Added 11/292015 For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4359 | Large Murano Close Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1970. This paperweight
has a concentric pattern of millefiori arranged in three concentric
circle around a central millefiori cane. There is an outer
ring of blue and white canes, a middle ring of orange canes, and an
inner ring of white canes. This close packed design is over a
white frit ground. A attractive paperweight that displays
beautifully.
Large Size: 3 1/8" diameter by 2 1/2"
high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$49 postage paid in the US. Added 11/15/2015 For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 4200 | Large Antique Baccarat Double Trefoil Millefiori
Paperweight. Circa 1920-1934. Colorful
double trefoil millefiori paperweight with a clear ground. The
trefoils are constructed with blue and red complex canes in the
center hexagon shaped portion and outer loops of contrasting pink
and blue canes. This is a unique setup not found in classic
period paperweights from Baccarat. There is a complex
millefiori cane in the center of each loop and a circle of complex
millefiori canes in the center of the design with a single blue cane
in the center. As is typical of millefiori from this period, the
canes are very miniaturized and some are poorly executed. Most
likely made by Joseph Boyé (1877-1948). An interesting
example.
This was a difficult paperweight to photograph, but I did the best that I could. The pink canes don't show a lot of detail and there is some distortion in the glass. Baccarat continued to make paperweights after the classic period (1845-1860), but little is known about the extent of the product line or who made the paperweights. It is known that by 1910, the offering in the catalog had dwindled to pansy paperweights, simple open concentric paperweights, and rock paperweights. This double trefoil paperweight dates from the Dupont period of Baccarat production. Popular lore attributes this paperweight and others like it to a Mr. Dupont, who supposedly was the last worker at Baccarat to know the secrets of paperweight making. These paperweights were sold at a Baccarat retail shop in Paris. No collector or scholar ever met Mr. Dupont although at least one visited the Baccarat factory and asked to meet with him. The weights stopped appearing in the shop in 1934. New research of the Baccarat archives has identified the actual maker as Joseph Boyé (1877-1948). He is recorded as the maker of millefiori canes and millefiori paperweights during this period (1920-1934). Very little is known about Mr. Boyé, but there is enough similarity in the millefiori canes to suggest that he had access to the original molds or some of the original millefiori canes from the classic period. He later trained another glassworker, Georges Brocard, to make open concentric paperweights in 1946. Armed with this knowledge, Brocard was influential in the revival of paperweight making at Baccarat in the 1950s. Another glassworker, Louis Idoux (1882-1941), is recorded as making the Baccarat pansy paperweights during the 1920-1934 period. You can read more about the Baccarat paperweights and the Dupont connection in the new book Baccarat Paperweights - two centuries of beauty by Paul Dunlop or one of the older books on paperweights in general, such as The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights by Paul Hollister or World Paperweightsby Robert Hall. Large Size: Just over 2 7/8" diameter by 2 1/8"
high. The bottom is ground concave. Unusually
high dome with the original Baccarat profile. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$475 postage paid in the US. Added 6/5/2015 For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 3813 | Magnum St. Clair Crimp Paperweight. c.1970-2000.
Multi-colored
stylized flower in the unique St. Clair style. This style of
crimp weight is very collectible. This one has eight pleats or
crimps with carefully placed bubbles between each. There is
also an extra large central bubble. A huge very showy
paperweight with great color.
Shown in both the Melvin book listed above (with a sulphide) and in the Bonnie Pruitt St. Clair Collectors Guide (without a sulphide). Magnum Size: Just under 4" diameter by 2 1/4"
high. The bottom is fire finished and hot stamped with the
signature. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$65 postage paid in the US. Added 5/27/2015 For more information about paperweights made by the St. Clair family, see my St. Clair Paperweights Web Page . Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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Magnum Antique Union Glass (Somerville, Massachusetts)
Paperweight "MINNIE". Circa 1900-1929. This is a
fantastic Union Glass Company Paperweight featuring a garland of
Lutz style four and five petal flowers with leaves and the name
"MINNIE" in the center. Each flower has gold aventurine in the
center for accent. The lettering is set off by two red white
and blue colored stripes.
Union Glass of Somerville, Massachusetts is the third of three related factories in the Boston area. The first two were the Boston & Sandwich (B&S) Glass Company and the New England Glass Company (NEGC). Both B&S and NEGC produced paperweights at the same time, both were founded by Deming Jarvis, and both declared bankruptcy in 1888. Union Glass came a little later. It operated from 1851 to 1929. These name/date paperweights are made with lampwork flowers and letters and are not frit weights. There are some nice articles in the literature including a lengthy article in the Paperweight Collectors Association 2004 Annual. There is also a short chapter in George Kulles' third book - Identifying Antique Paperweights - The Less Familiar . Nicholas Lutz worked at Union Glass from 1895 to 1904 and his influence can be seen on the Union Glass flowers although most of these weights were made after Lutz's death. There is some current speculation that Lutz had an apprentice who continued to work at Union Glass and was responsible for not only some of the better Union Glass examples, but also some of the fine lampwork paperweights attributed to Mount Washington Glass. Very Large Size: Just under 3 3/4" diameter by just
over 2 3/4" high. It weighs over 2 1/2 pounds.
The bottom is ground flat with a matte finish. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$775 postage paid in the US. Added 5/4/2014 For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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Revised 3/26/2018 EI
