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. 

Very small size:  Just under 2” diameter by just under 1 1/2” high.  Base is slightly concave. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  A couple of faint scratches and some bubbles in the glass.  The canes are uneven in length and there are some bubbles in the glass.
Signature:   Unsigned but I guarantee this to be an authentic antique paperweight, most likely from the Clichy factory. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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I could not find this design in the Charlton Standard Catalog of Caithness Paperweights, but two similar larger editions titled Irish Wild Flower and Irish Wild Flowers are shown on page 332.  Both are designed by Allan Scott for Cashs of Ireland.  When checking sales records for the design listed here, I found several records ranging from $330 to $430.  The small edition size contributes the the relative rarity of this paperweight. 

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.

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.

Large Size:  Just under 3” diameter by 2 5/8” high  The base is ground flat. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips or cracks or scratches found on inspection except for some wear on the base.  There are some tiny striations (or sugaring) in the glass.   
Signature:  It is signed “Wild Irish Flowers 110-150 Caithness Scotland” on the base and also comes with its original certificate.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Certificate
Closeup
Base with signature
Side view
Another view

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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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. 

Very small size:  1 3/4” diameter by 1 1/4” high.  The base is slightly concave.  There are four rubber bumps that a previous owner has placed on the base.  They have turned amber with age but are easily removed. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no chips, cracks or scratches found on inspection.  It has probably been restored in the past.
Signature:   Unsigned but I guarantee this to be an authentic antique Clichy paperweight. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 

Very Small Size:  1 11/16" diameter by just under 1 5/8" high. The bottom is ground concave.
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique paperweight from the Saint-Louis factory in France.
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips, cracks or scratches.  This paperweight has been professionally restored.  There are some tiny striations or sugaring in the glass as shown in some of the pictures. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

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Base
Another closeup

For more information about antique paperweights see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.   (dl-ant-sl)

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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 seven annual collection designs in 1983, designated A through G.  

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.

Very Large Size:  3 1/16" diameter by 2 7/8" high.  The bottom is ground concave.  The paperweight is faceted with one large top facet and twenty eight side facets in three rings of eight, ten, and ten facets.  
Signature:  This paperweight is signed with a "P1983" cane on the base.  There is no paper label on this paperweight and I do not have the original certificate.   
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips, or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Signature cane
Base

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

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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:  3 1/4" diameter by 2 1/2" high.  The bottom is fire finished with a round pontil scar remaining that keeps the paperweight from sitting flat on its base.   
Condition:  Excellent condition.  I found no cracks, chips, or scratches on inspection.
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee that this is a genuine Paul Ysart Harlequin paperweight.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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This paperweight was part of a special order placed in Spring 2007 and received by me later in 2007.  The design later showed up in Peter's offering described as Special Pieces for 2008.

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.

Extra Large Size:  4 5/16" diameter by 2 13/16" high.  The base is ground concave.  This paperweight is huge and weighs almost three pounds ( 44 ounces or 2 pounds 12 ounces).
Condition:  Outstanding original condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed with a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Handmade in Crieff Scotland."  I could not find a signature cane in this design.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Side view with ruler
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Label on base

For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page .

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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.  Douglas Boyd passed away in 2018.  David Hopper and his wife Shari retired to nearby Paradise California.  They survived the wildfire that destroyed most of Paradise in 2018.  Orient & Flume continues in Chico with new owners Bruce Sillars and Ronda Davis.  Bruce was one of the original Orient and Flume artists and Ronda has spent the last 30 years at the studio handling sales and other responsibilities.  They are joined by another early O&F artist Scott Beyers.

Scott Beyers is an early Orient & Flume artist who has worked at Orient & Flume almost since the beginning.  For a short while starting in 1980, Scott partnered with Lee Hudin in their own studio Ophir Studios in Oroville, CA.  The studio was short-lived and both Hudin and Beyers went back to O&F by the mid-1980s.  The exact history is elusive, but Scott is now at Orient & Flume under the new owners.

Very Large Size:  3 3/16" diameter by 2 7/8" high.  The bottom has been ground flat.
Signature:    Signed on the base "Orient & Flume O272UASFN0105P 41/250 Beyers".  It also has a worn Orient & Flume paper label on the base and comes with its original O&F certificate. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips or cracks or scratches found on inspection.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
Closeup
Signature and label on base
Certificate
Profile
Another closeup

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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 seven annual collection designs in 1992, designated A through G.  

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.

Very Large Size:  Just under 3 1/8" diameter by 2 5/16" high.  The bottom is ground concave.  The paperweight is faceted with one top facet and twelve side facets (six large and six small).  
Signature:  This paperweight is signed with a "P" cane next to the floral arrangement.  The engraved number "120" on the base indicates this was number 120 out of 300 paperweights made in this design.  There is no paper label on this paperweight and I do not have the original certificate.   
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips, or scratches. Slight wear and some scratches on the base. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Side view
Signature cane
Base with edition number (120)

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

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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.

Alfred "Fred" Aubrit worked at Pairpoint Glass in Sagamore, MA, and then at the Cape Cod Glass Works during the 1990s.  He then had his own small studio for a few years.  He sometimes signed paperweights "A. Aubrit" while at CCGW, although that was not approved by Bill Burchfield.  Some, if not all, of the canes in this paperweight were probably made at CCGW.

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. 

Small Size:   2 1/4" diameter by 1 15/16" high. The base is ground concave. 
Condition:  Excellent  condition. No chips, cracks, or scratches found on inspection. 
Signature:  This paperweight is signed "A. Aubrit 99".  It is unclear whether the paperweight was made at the Cape Cod Glass Works, which was still in operation in 1999, or at Aubrit's own studio. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Base with signature
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For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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Miniature Size:  1 13/16" diameter by 1 5/16” high.
Condition:  Outstanding condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed with a complex "PMcD" cane on the base.  The signature is tiny and can be hard to see without magnification.  It also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Handmade in Crieff Scotland." 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Signature cane and label on base
Side view
Base

For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page

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This paperweight from Julie uses complex canes from Parabelle Glass, which closed in 1998.    

Parabelle Glass was a small company created in 1981 by Gary and Doris Scrutton in Portland, Oregon.  High quality paperweights were made in small quantities from 1983 to 1998 when they retired.  Most designs were produced in limited editions of 10 to 25 paperweights, although some editions were larger.  They also made some one of a kind paperweights.  Doris passed away in 2013 and Gary followed in 2014. 

After the Scruttons retired in 1998, Gary gave his cane supply and glass color formulas to their daughter Julie Scrutton Lewis and he continued to mentor her as she made her own designs.  Julie Scrutton Lewis has continued the tradition of making a limited number of fine paperweights and also jewelry using Parabelle millefiori canes. 

Small Size :  Just under 2 3/8" diameter by 1 7/8" high.  The base is ground concave. 
Signature : Signed on the base "Julie Scrutton Lewis Artist Proof 1999". 
Condition :  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips, or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Signature on base
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For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 

The Elizabeth of Glamis Rose was a frequent theme for William Manson.  First bred in  1958, the rose introduced in the UK in 1964 and was named in honor of The Queen Mother (Elizabeth of Glamis).  It was the first rose to be granted copyright protection in Britain.  The Queen Mother (Mother of Queen Elizabeth II) was the daughter of   Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis.  She spent a good part of her childhood at Glamis Castle, her father's ancestral home in Scotland.

Large Size:  2 15/16" diameter by 1 11/16" high. The bottom is ground flat and has a star cut. 
Signature:  Signed in script on the edge of the base "116/200 WM 1981".
Condition:  Some light wear on the base.  Otherwise in excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks found on inspection. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Signature on base
Side view
Base

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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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.   The studio was founded by James Lundberg in the early 1970s.  Steven Lundberg joined shortly later.  The first paperweights were made in 1972.  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.   Each paperweight produced at Lundberg Studios is signed and dated by the studio and signed by the artist. 

Large Size:    Just over 3" diameter by just under 2 5/8" high.  The bottom is ground concave.
Signature: Signed on the side near the base "Daniel Salazar Lundberg Studios 2007 102608".   The paperweight also has a lampwork "D.S." signature on the underside of the ground.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
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Side View
Signature
Another view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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 5/8” diameter by just under 2 3/16” high.  The base is ground concave.   
Condition:  Very good condition. I could find only minor damage on inspection.  There is a faint scratch near the rose on top (see picture) and a tiny pinprick near the base.  There is also wear on the base.
Signature:  This paperweight includes two of William Burchfield's rose canes and also a Sandwich Glass Museum "SGM" cane.  The paperweight also has a paper label "CAPE COD GLASS WORKS SAGAMORE, MA" on the base.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Rose cane on top
Second rose cane and SGM cane
Base with label
Scratch near top rose
Top view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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Large Size:  2 13/16" diameter by 1 7/8" high. 
Signature:  It is signed on the base with  an engraved signature "M Hunter Twists 18 1 of 1" and Mike Hunter's "MH" signature cane.  It also has the Twists Glass clear plastic label.
Condition:  Excellent original condition with no cracks or chips or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Base
Signature, signature cane, and 1 of 1
Another view
Label
Side view
Another view

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.

• 1845-1860 - Classic period
• 1920-1934 - Dupont period
• 1953-2002 - Modern period

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 under 3" diameter by 2" high.    The base is slightly convex and has been crudely painted with blue paint. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee that this is an original Baccarat product or prototype.  With the exception of the paint on the base, it matches known images of the Baccarat Eisenhower sulphide.     
Condition:   Good condition.  The paperweight has some scratches on the dome.  Although I believe this is a prototype created to illustrate a blue ground, the paint could be removed with a solvent.  There is plenty of glass and it could be polished to remove the scratches.   
 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Profile view
Base
Side view

For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page   (dl-sul-bac)

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Medium Size:  Just under 2 1/2” diameter by 1 7/16” high.  The base is fire finished with a button shaped pontil mark.
Condition:  Good condition.  This example has a somewhat uneven original surface and many minor scratches and some tiny nicks.  See pictures for surface condition.  No cracks.
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an antique Venetian paperweight.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Another view
Closeup
Base
Side
Another side view

SOLD.                                                Added 11/21/2018 

For more information about antique paperweights see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.   (dl-ant-mu)

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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.

Medium Size:   2 9/16" diameter by just under 1 1/2" high.  The bottom is fire finished.    
Signature:   Unsigned but I guarantee that this paperweight is from China and dates from about 1930. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  The surface has a few indentations, but is mostly smooth.  No chips or cracks.  There is some debris in the glass.  As with Chinese paperweights from this period, this paperweight has a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass has a soft almost oily feel.  There are tiny bubbles in the glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
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Profile view
Side view
Bottom view

For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page.

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I was unable to find out anything about the artist although another collector has a similar paperweight by the same artist with a paper label "Pacific Potteries".

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
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Another View
Base
Signature
Still Another View
Side view
Another view of Signature

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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:

• Magic in the Glass - The Paperweight Artistry of Charles Kaziun, Jr. by Bernard A. Drabeck 
• American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1970) 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup
Profile View
Base
Signature Cane

For more paperweights by Charles Kaziun, see my Kaziun Paperweights Web Page.      (dl-kaz-ca)

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The list price for this paperweight in May 2010 was $494.  It is also the current list price shown on the Lundberg web page.  My price is 20% 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. 

Very Large Size:   3 5/8" diameter by 2 7/8" high. The base is ground concave.  It weighs just over 2 pounds. 
Signature: Signed on the side near the base "Daniel Salazar Lundberg Studios 2001" along with a registration number "072558".  It also has a Daniel Salazar "DS" lampwork signature on the underside of two leaves. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips or scratches.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Top view
Another View
Base with signature on edge and D.S. lampwork signature

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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:  Just over 2 13/16" diameter by 1 7/8" high.  The base is ground flat. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  Some wear and tiny nicks on the edge of the base.  No other scratches, chips, or cracks found on inspection.  
Signature:  Signed with a Perthshire "P1970" date-signature cane in center of the design.  This paperweight does not have a paper label.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Signature / date cane
Profile view
Base
Side view

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

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Note:  The picture does not do justice to this paperweight.  Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. 

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 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:  Just under 2 1/8" diameter by just under 1 1/2" high. 
Condition:  Outstanding original condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed in the design with a PMcD signature cane.  It also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Handmade in Crieff Scotland." 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup
Profile View
Label
Signature cane

For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page

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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 over 2 5/16" diameter by 2" high.  The base is ground concave. 
Condition:  Outstanding original condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  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.  There is no paper label on this paperweight. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup 
Top view
Base
Profile view

For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page

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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 (2018) although under new owners. 

Size:  Just over 2 13/16" diameter by just over 2 5/16" high.  The bottom is ground flat. It is faceted with one top facet and five side concave facets.  The side facets are placed high on the dome.
Condition:  Good condition.  No major damage found, but I have called this "good condition", rather than "very good condition" or "excellent condition", because there are at least two tiny nicks on the facets and some scratches on the surface.  The worst of the scratches is clearly visible in two of the pictures.  There is also minor wear and scratching on the base.  Although it is not damage, I want to mention that is a small elongated bubble above the rose that obscures a clear view of the center of the rose.   
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee this paperweight to be by Pairpoint Glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Scratch between two facets
Side view
Profile view
Base

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.

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The Spring Beauty flower has been the subject of many of Paul Stankard's design studies, progressing from simple arrangements to more complex three dimensional arrangements like this one.  Examples appear in almost every book about Paul Stankard.  This paperweight is almost identical to M101 (priced at $800) in Leo Kaplan original paperweight catalog published in 1984.  A more stylized example M420 (priced at $1,750) appeared in a supplement published in April 1991.  Other examples appear in the books PAUL JOSEPH STANKARD:  THE FIRST DECADE published by Wheaton Museum of Glass and FLORA IN GLASS Paperweights of Paul J. Stankard published by Spink.. 

Paul Joseph Stankard is considered to be the father of modern glass paperweights.  He has a degree in Scientific Glassblowing from the Salem Vocational Technical Institute (now Salem Community College) in Salem, New Jersey and worked for ten years as a glassblower making scientific instruments for various chemical laboratories before turning his attention to creating glass art.  He made his first paperweights in 1968 focusing on a realistic replication of nature.  Today he is one of the premier lampwork artists and has shared his knowledge with many other fine glass artists.  Paul's studio is in Mantua, NJ.  His work is on display at over 60 museums worldwide and there are several excellent books on this artist. 

Large Size:   3 1/16" diameter by 1 15/16" tall.  The paperweight has a flat profile.  The base is ground concave. 
Signature:    Signed signed with a "S" signature cane on the side and engraved "B739 1982" near the base. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no chips, cracks, or scratches found on inspection. There are a few tiny bubbles in the design.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup View
Profile View
Signature cane, study number, and date
Base
Side View

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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 (2018) although under new owners. 

Very Large Size:  3 1/2" diameter by 2 3/8" high.  The bottom is ground flat.  
Condition:  Outstanding condition.  This paperweight has been professionally polished to remove scratches on the dome and on the base.  There were no cracks or chips or other repairs.
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee this paperweight to be by Pairpoint Glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Side view
Profile view
Base
Closeup

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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 (2018) although under new owners. 

Size:  Just over 2 3/4" diameter by 2 5/16" high.  The bottom is ground flat. It is faceted with one top facet and five side concave facets. 
Condition:  Good condition.  No major damage found, but I have called this "good condition", rather than "very good condition" or "excellent condition", because there are at least six tiny nicks and some faint scratches on the surface and the facets.  There is also minor wear and scratching on the base.  Although it is not damage, I want to mention that there is waviness and leftover tool marks near the top facet. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee this paperweight to be by Pairpoint Glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Wavy area near top with tool marks
Side view
Profile view - ignore blue reflection
Base

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Note:  Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights.

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.

The history of Scotia of Scotland is a little more convoluted.  Scotia of Scotland was a line of paperweights made between 1979 and 1982 by William Manson in the off hours while he was employed by another company which had his name - William Manson Paperweights - then owned by the Aidenhall Trading Company.  In the late 1970's, Graham Brown, a former managing director of Caithness Glass, set up the Aidenhall Trading Company with regional economic development grants from the UK government.  Among the companies established by Aidenhall was a glass works in the town of Kilwinning led by William Manson.  The company operated under the name William Manson Paperweights, but Manson was an employee, not an owner.  Aidenhall went out of business in 1982 and William Manson went back to Caithness. 

Large Size:  Just under 2 13/16" diameter by 2 1/8" high. The bottom is ground flat. 
Signature:  Signed on the base with a pink, green, and white Scotia of Scotland thistle signature cane.  There are no other markings on the paperweight to identify its origin. 
Condition:  Some scratches on the base.  Otherwise in excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Signature cane on base
Side view
Base

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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Note:  The picture does not do justice to this paperweight.  Please ignore the white areas; they are glare from the lights.

Small Size:  2 1/16" diameter by 1 1/2" high.  The base is ground concave.
Condition:  Outstanding original condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed on the bottom with a PMcD signature cane. The signature is small and some people may have difficulty reading the signature on these weights, but I guarantee the attribution of this paperweight.  The pictures show the exact paperweight you will get.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile View
Signature cane on base
Side view

For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page

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Jerry Vandermark apprenticed with Carl Erickson in 1943 at Erickson Art Glass in Bremen, Ohio.  In 1959, Vandermark left Erickson to direct the Colonial Glasshouse at Jamestown, Virginia for the National Park Service.  In 1968, working with Thomas Merritt, he established the Vandermark Glasshouse at Liberty Village, Flemington, New Jersey.  Jerry later took Thomas Merritt's son Doug Merritt as an apprentice and they paired up to form the Vandermark-Merritt Glass Studios in 1972.  The studio evolved from producing replicas of 18th century glassware to more wide-ranging reproductions, and then added some original art glass designs.  It built its reputation with museum quality colonial reproductions, original art glass in the art nouveau and art deco traditions, crystal sculpture, contemporary designs and cameo creations.  Their work can be found in a number of major collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Toledo Museum, Corning Museum, and Wheaton Museum of American Glass.

Stephen Smarr was a master glass artist for Vandermark Merritt Glass Studios in Branchburg, NJ for 38 years until his death in 2010.

Large Size:  Just under 3" diameter by 2 11/16" high.  The bottom is ground flat. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no chips, cracks or significant scratches found on inspection other than some minor wear on the base.
Signature:  Signed "Vandermark #21 1979" on the base.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Signature on base
Side view
Closeup
Top view
Another view

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.  Both father and son started using signature canes in 1975.  Ray used the signature cane shown here, a black “B” in a white background, from about 1980 until he died in 2003. 

Large Size:  2 15/16" diameter by 2 3/8" high.  The bottom is ground flat.  
Signature:  Signed near the stem with Ray Banford's black "B" signature cane.  Undated
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips, cracks, or scratches found on inspection.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Signature cane
Side view
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

This design is listed and designated CT-1452 on page 209 of the Charlton Standard Catalog of Caithness Paperweights.  It was designed by Helen MacDonald as part of the Modern Design Series.  The design was issued in 1997 with an original US price of $95.  

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” diameter by 2 3/4” high  The base is ground flat. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips or cracks or scratches found on inspection except for some wear on the base. 
Signature:  It is signed in script on the base "Rhythm 'N Blues Caithness Scotland".  There is also an engraved number "Y53000".

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Top view
Paperweight with bag
Base with signature
Another view of the base with signature
Another view

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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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 WorldWeight 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.  

Very Large Size:   3 3/4" diameter by 3 1/2" high. The base is ground flat.  The paperweight weighs over 2 pounds 9 ounces (41 ounces).
Signature:  Signed and dated on the base "James Lundberg Lundberg Studios 1989 022402".  This paperweight was made the same year as the original design in 1989 and is one of the earliest examples of this design.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks or chips.  There are no scratches except for minor wear on the base. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight showing North and South America
Another view showing Europe and Africa
Another View showing Asia
Profile View
Top View
Signature on base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.  Steven Lundberg died from ALS in 2008.

Very Large Size:  3 1/4" diameter by 2 5/8" high.  The bottom has been ground concave.  It weighs just over 23 ounces (1 pound 7 ounces). 
Signature:  It is signed in script on the side near the base "Steven Lundberg Lundberg Studios 1990 052320".  It also has a signature cane in the design “LS 90”.  
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips or cracks or scratches found on inspection other than slight wear on the base. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature cane
Base with signature

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Small to Medium Size:  2 3/8” diameter by 2 3/8” high.  The base is fire finished with a remainder of the pontil scar.
Condition:  Fair condition.  This example has a large internal crack which wraps around to the base as shown in the pictures.  Otherwise it has a somewhat uneven original surface and minor scratches.
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an antique Venetian paperweight.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Another view
Closeup
Base with crack showing
Side with crack
Top view showing knob

SOLD.                                                Added 8/12/2018 

For more information about antique paperweights see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.   (dl-ant-mu)

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Notes:  This paperweight has a small circular impact mark (approximately 1/8") on the side away from the signature.  It does not show when the paperweight is displayed, but I have reduced the price accordingly.  It can be restored if you wish.  Normally this would be a $400 paperweight.  Also, the pictures do not do justice to this paperweight.  Please ignore the white areas, they are reflections and glare from the lights.      

Ken Rosenfeld works at his own studio, Ken Rosenfeld Glass, in Milwaukie, Oregon.  Ken's paperweight expertise arose from a formal art education and a technical background.  He has a Bachelor's degree in art from the University of California and a Master's of Fine Arts degree from Southern Illinois University.  His technical experience in scientific glasswork and his studio glass experience contributed to his superb ability as a glass artist.  Ken has been a paperweight artist since the mid 1980s.  He started at Correia Glass, leaving after five years to set up his own studio in 1983.  This 1988 vegetable bouquet is an early paperweight made by Ken.

Very Large Size:   3 5/16" diameter by just under 2 7/16" high.  The base is ground concave. 
Signature:  It is signed on the side with Ken Rosenfeld's "R" signature cane and engraved signature "KEN ROSENFELD '88".
Condition:  This paperweight has a small circular impact mark (approximately 1/8") on the side away from the signature.  Otherwise it is in excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup
Damage on side
Signature
Profile
Another view
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Cathy Richardson was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in Falls Church, Virginia.  She was always interested in art and nature and learned to draw and paint at a very early age.  Her formal education was capped with a Ph.D. in geology from Harvard, University.  In the 1980s she returned to art and built a stained glass studio in Iowa which she named "Nature's Image".  In 1996, she studied lampworking with Bandhu Scott Dunham at the Corning School of Glass and in 1997 enrolled at Bowling Green State University and learned to blow glass.  In 2000 she again studied lampworking at Corning School of Glass — this time with Shane Fero and Fred Birkhill.  Her early appreciation of paperweights came from her mother who had a small collection of paperweights.  She and her husband moved one more time to Winona, Minnesota in 1999 and she started a new studio named Touchstone Glass, making paperweights and marbles.  Her earliest paperweights were made at the end of 2001 or early 2002. 

Cathy Richardson's earliest paperweights were starfish and coral reef paperweights and also torch-drawn "California style" paperweights like the one in this listing.  In 2004 she started to make more lampwork paperweights.  Cathy still makes a combination of California style paperweights"and her more detailed lampwork paperweights.  More recently she studied engraving and her latest works demonstrate an amazing ability to integrate traditional paperweights and an elaborate engraved surface.  Touchstone Glass has grown into a family business, with Cathy's son, Colin Richardson, joining as a full-time glass artist in 2006, and Cathy's husband becoming one of the team when he retired from his University career.  Colin now has his own studio in Minneapolis, MN.  

Very Large Size:  3 1/8" diameter by 5" high.  The base is ground flat. 
Signature : Signed "C RICHARDSON 2007" on the base. 
Condition :  Excellent condition.   No cracks, chips or scratches found on inspection.  Some wear on the base.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Another view
Still another view
Signature on base
Another view
Top view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Parabelle Glass was a small company created in 1981 by Gary and Doris Scrutton in Portland, Oregon.  High quality paperweights were made in small quantities from 1983 to 1998 when they retired.  Their best weights are some of the finest ever made, comparing favorably to the best classical French paperweights.  Most designs were produced in limited editions of 10 to 25 paperweights, although some editions were larger.  They also made some one of a kind paperweights.  Doris passed away in 2013 and Gary followed in 2014. 

After the Scruttons retired in 1998, their daughter Julie Scrutton Lewis made some paperweights and jewelry using Parabelle millefiori canes. 

Large Size:  Just under 2 7/8" diameter by 1 7/8" high.  The base is ground concave.  
Signature: Signed in the design with a signature cane "PB 1990".  This paperweight also has a worn silver label on the base that has a drawing of two bells and the text "PARABELLE GLASS Rings True HANDMADE IN USA"  
Condition:  Excellent condition with minor wear on the base but no other cracks, chips, or scratches found on inspection. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight 
Close-up view 
Profile view 
Silver label on base 
Signature cane in design
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

The PP206 was made only in 1999.  It was made in a limited edition of 200 paperweights, some of which were faceted.

Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights.

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:  3 7/16" diameter by 2 7/16" high.  The base is ground concave.
Signature:  This paperweight has a Perthshire complex "P1999" signature cane on the base and also the engraved edition number "119".  This example does not have a Perthshire paper label.
Condition:  Excellent condition.  I found no cracks, chips, or scratches.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
Closeup view
Side view
Another view
Signature and edition number on base
Base

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

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Eric W. Hansen is a second generation glassworker who grew up in a family of glassworkers and paperweight  makers.  His learned lampworking from his father Richard Hansen and was also influenced by the work of his uncles Ronald and Robert Hansen.  He currently works in a home studio in Argyle, Texas.  He is known for his floral motifs and iridescent lusters in his paperweights and blown designs.

Large Size:  3 5/16" diameter by 2 3/4" high.  The base is ground flat. 
Signature : Signed "Eric W. Hansen 2007-5095" on the base. 
Condition :  Excellent condition.   No cracks, chips or scratches found on inspection. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Side view
Closeup view
Signature on base
Profile view
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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.

Marcolin pieces are often signed, including a pattern number, on the base, which consists of the initial of the designer, and model number of the item, sometimes followed by the size of the item in millimeters.  Designer codes include: M - Josef Marcolin, B - Benito Marcolin, and F - Inga-Lill Färe.  Production was mainly glass figurines, with a unique blended style of Swedish and Murano. They use traditional Murano techniques such as millefiori, sommerso, zanfirico, and sfumato (as in this piece). 

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:  The rounded base is 3 1/8" diameter.  The paperweight is 3" (80 mm) high. The bottom ground flat.     
Condition:  Very good condition overall.  There are some scratches on the base and one large scratch on the back next to the base that is just over 3/4" long.  Otherwise in excellent condition with no other scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee that this was made by Marcolin in Sweden.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Back view
Side view
Scratch near base
Closeup
Other side view
Base

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Large Size:  Just under 3” diameter by 3 1/4" tall. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips, cracks or scratches found on inspection.   
Signature:  Signed near the base with a engraved signature "Raos 1994 New Zealand". 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Another view
Still another view
Signature
Base
Top view

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Modern Whitefriars paperweights are prized by collectors for their high quality glass and millefiori designs. The 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:  Just over 3 3/16" diameter by 1 7/8" high.  The base is ground concave.  Faceted with one top facet and five side facets.
Condition:  Outstanding condition.  No chips, cracks or scratches. 
Signature:  Signed in the design with a Whitefriars 1976 signature / date cane in the yellow row. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Another closeup with signature cane
Bottom View
Side view

For more information about Whitefriars and other paperweights from England,see my English Paperweights Web Page.

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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.  Chinese paperweights made in the 1970s and later usually have better quality glass and are free of debris. 

Size:  Just under 1 15/16” long by 1 11/16" wide.
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this is a Chinese paperweight, made in the 1930s or later.  
Condition:  Good condition.  One corner has a small impact fracture.  There are a few minor scratches.  No other cracks or chips.  The glass is poor quality, has a green tinge, and has quite a bit of dirt of debris or dirt in it.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Side view
Base
Top view
Another view

For more paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page.

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Medium Size:  Just under 2 5/8" diameter by 1 3/16" high.  The base is ground flat.
Signature:  Signed "Ebelhare 6-93 Houston" on the base.  It is also crowned with Drew Ebelhare's complex signature cane with an "E" in the center.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks or chips or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Top view
Signature on base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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The picture does not do justice to this paperweight.  Ignore the white areas, they are reflections and glare from the lights.   A similar paperweight sold in Selman's Summer 2011 Auction (Lot 268) for $330.   

Ken Rosenfeld works at his own studio, Ken Rosenfeld Glass, in Milwaukie, Oregon.  Ken's paperweight expertise arose from a formal art education and a technical background.  He has a Bachelor's degree in art from the University of California and a Master's of Fine Arts degree from Southern Illinois University.  His technical experience in scientific glasswork and his studio glass experience contributed to his superb ability as a glass artist.  Ken has been a paperweight artist since the mid 1980s.  He started at Correia Glass, leaving after five years to set up his own studio in 1983.

Medium Size:   Just under 2 1/2" diameter by 1 7/8" high.  The base is ground concave. 
Signature:  Signed with Ken Rosenfeld's "R" cane and engraved signature "KR 2006". 
Condition:  Outstanding condition with no scratches, chips or cracks.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup
Side view
Signature
Another closeup
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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.   

Bruce Sillars was the first employee hired by Orient & Flume and is still at O&F today.  Since 1973 Bruce has been responsible for many of Orient & Flume's most successful designs.  He grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs and worked in ceramics in High School, later becoming a technician in the ceramic studio at Moorpark College.  Sillars shifted from ceramics at Chico State University to metal and sculpting to glass blowing, earning a BA in Art with an emphasis in ceramics, glass, and sculpture from California State University, Chico.  In the beginning he created iridescent vases and paperweights that incorporated both geometric and naturalistic floral motifs. Over time the designs became more and more complex and sophisticated and by the early 80's his work began to move away from iridescent glass focusing on three-dimensional motifs and employing both "torch worked" and "lamp worked" design elements.

Large Size:  Just under 3" diameter by 2 11/16" high.  The bottom has been ground flat. 
Signature:    Signed on the base "Orient & Flume B. Sillars CZ32M1982".
Condition:  Very good condition.  There is noticeable wear on the base but elsewhere I found no chips or cracks or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
Signature on base
Side view
Another view
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Medium Size:  Just under 2 5/8" diameter by 1 7/8" high. 
Signature: Signed "Ebelhare 4-94" on the base.  There is also Drew Ebelhare's signature cane "E" in the center of the swirl (bottom view only)
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks or chips. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature and signature cane on base
Base view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights.

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. 

Small Size:  Just under 2 1/4" diameter by just over 1 11/16" high. The bottom is ground concave. 
Signature:  Signed with William Manson's "WM" signature cane near the snake.  It is also signed on the base "William Manson, SNR 2007". 
Condition:  Excellent condition with chips or cracks.  There are some light scratches on the base near the signature, but no other scratches found on inspection. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature on base
Side view

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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Medium Size:  2 11/16" diameter by 1 13/16" high. 
Signature: Signed "Ebelhare 8-07" on the base.  The signature is clear but I had trouble getting a picture of it.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks or chips. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature - sorry for the faint picture

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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.

Medium Size: 2 3/8" diameter by just under 1 3/8" high.  The base is ground concave.  The paperweight is faceted with one large top facet and five side facets.
Signature:  This paperweight has a complex Perthshire "P" signature cane in the base and also the edition number "19" engraved next to the signature cane.  It also has canes with the letters "S" and "G" (for Stone Gallery) in the center of the flower.  It does not have a Perthshire paper label.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips, or scratches.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Signature on base with engraved edition number
Side view
Closeup of flower and SG in center

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

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James Hart is a paperweight artist working in Nevada.  He started working in glass in 1985 focusing initially on millefiori designs and more recently on floral encasements.  He studied murrine making with Lauren Stump.  His signature has evolved from a simple red heart to more complex signature canes.  His millefiori designs initially included canes from Murano, but over time he created  a wonderful assortment of his own complex canes, some incorporating Murano canes. 

Medium Size:  2 7/16" diameter by 1 9/16" high.  The bottom is concave.  Unlike his earlier works, this paperweight is encased with a clear layer below the ground. 
Signature:  Signed on the base with Hart's "JH 08" signature cane.  The signature cane also has two stars and a heart. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no damage found on inspection. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature Cane
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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Large Steven Lundberg Glass Art Pink Daffodils Paperweight Vase.   dated 2001.  This paperweight vase by Steven Lundberg features four pink daffodils with green stems and leaves.  This is a compound composition.  The flowers are very three dimensional and intertwined with the foliage.  The ground is clear.  It is signed and dated on side just above the base "Steven Lundberg 2001".  This vase was made by Steven Lundberg after he left Lundberg Studios in 1997 to start Steven Lundberg Contemporary Art Glass in Santa Cruz.  A wonderful high quality example of Steven Lundberg's artistry. 

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.  Steven Lundberg died from ALS in 2008.

Large Size:  Just over 3 11/16" diameter by just under 4 1/4" high.  The bottom has been ground concave.  It weighs 42 ounces (2 pounds 10 ounces). 
Signature:  It is signed in script near the base "Steven Lundberg 2001".  
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips or cracks or scratches found on inspection other than a couple of light scratches on the base. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the vase
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature
Back view
Certificate

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 

Small Size:  2 1/16" diameter by 1 7/16" high. The bottom is ground concave.
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique paperweight from the Saint-Louis factory in France.
Condition:  Excellent condition for its age with no cracks or chips. No significant scratches found on inspection.  There is wear consistent with the age of the paperweight on the base ring. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Side View
Another large picture (please ignore the bright lights)
View of base
Still another large picture

For more information about antique paperweights see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.   (dl-ant-sl)

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Large Size:  2 3/4" diameter by 1 7/8" high.  The base is flat with the center ground concave. 
Condition:  Very good to excellent condition.  No chips, cracks, noticeable scratches.  There are some tool marks on the dome and some striations within the glass.
Signature:  Unsigned, but not likely to be made recently.  I believe this was made earlier than the 1970s, possibly even in the early 1900s. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Four of the character canes
Base
Close up view
First character cane
Second character cane
Third character cane
Fourth character cane

For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page.

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. 
Signature:   Signed on the side near the base "SLCAG  97  JL".
Condition:  Good condition with no cracks, chips or scratches found on inspection.  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.  There is also an uneven area at the edge of the base that should have been polished off when the base was finished.  Not up to the usual Lundberg standards and priced accordingly. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile View
Signature on edge near base
Side view
Base

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Large Size:  2 11/16" diameter by just over 1 7/8" high.  The base is ground concave. 
Condition:  Very good condition for its age.  This paperweight has a few light scratches and two small chips at the edge of the base.  There are some striations within the glass and one small stone or stray piece of latticinio. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee this to be an authentic New England Glass Company antique paperweight.  Circa 1860 - 1888. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile view
Side view
Close up view
View of base

For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

Miniature Size:    Just over 1 1/2" diameter by just over 1 11/16"" high. 
Signature: It is signed on the bottom "Jesse Taj #9 2001". 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks or chips.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Side view
Base with signature
Top view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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. 

• 1845-1860 - Classic period 
• 1900-1934 - Dupont period 
• 1953 - on - Modern period

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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no chips, cracks, or scratches.  This paperweight has been professionally restored.  Some wear was left on the base by the restorer.   
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee that this is an antique Baccarat paperweight dating from the classic period (1845-1860).  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile view
Closeup view
Base with some wear

For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page.      (dl-bac-ant)

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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. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee that this is from China 1970 or later. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no chips or cracks or scratches found on inspection. The glass has a slight green tinge (as shown in the pictures).

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Side view
Base

For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page

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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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  I could find no flaws.  There are some scratches from wear on the base. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an early Scottish pin dish made by Vasart or possibly later by Strathearn. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the pin dish
Closeup View
Side View
Bottom
Top view

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed and numbered "PHOENIX 2003 40/75" on the base.   

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature on base
Side view

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks.  Minor wear on the base.
Signature:  Signed with a "JD2000" signature cane in the design and also a paper label with a thistle and "HANDMADE IN SCOTLAND by John Deacons" on the base.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Side view
Profile view
Signature cane
Base with label
Closeup

$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.

Size:  2 1/16" diameter by 3 1/4" tall.  The base is finished flat.
Condition:  Very good condition.  Two small scratches found near the base.  No other chips, cracks or scratches found on inspection.  
Signature:  Unsigned, but I will guarantee this as a product of Avondale glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile view
Another view
Base
Still another view

For more information about paperweights by English makers, see my English Paperweights Web Page .

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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. 

• 1845-1860 - Classic period 
• 1900-1934 - Dupont period 
• 1953 - on - Modern period

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. 
Condition: Good condition consistent with the age of this paperweight.  No cracks or major damage.  There are minor scratches on the body and appropriate wear on the base.  There are also two faint circular impact marks noted by arrows in one of the pictures.  Ample glass and this paperweight could be restored if so desired.  One noticeable bubble in the glass. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee that this was made by Baccarat, probably during the Dupont period (1900-1920).

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile view
Two impact marks
Base with star cut
Side view

For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page.      (dl-bac-ant)

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition although showing a tiny bit of wear.  The paperweight handle has no chips, cracks or noticeable scratches. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is a genuine Lassman bottle opener with a Vasart paperweight handle. The word "ENGLAND" appears on the metal part. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the bottle opener
Top view (just paperweight)
Another view
Stamp mark "ENGLAND"
Closeup view

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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).
Condition:  Excellent condition for its age.  I some minor scratches on the base, but no other scratches or cracks or chips.
Signature:  Signed on the base "Kosta 97045 Wärff".  It also has a partial Kosta label on the side.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile view
Signature on base
Closeup of label
Another view

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.

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. 
Signature:  This paperweight has a Perthshire complex "P" signature cane in the top.  It also has a Perthshire paper label "PERTHSHIRE PAPERWEIGHTS CRIEFF SCOTLAND" on the base. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  I found one tiny nick on one of the side facets.  No other cracks, chips, or scratches.  There is a little roughness at the tip of the stopper.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the inkwell
Closeup view
View with stopper
Side view
Another view with stopper
Stopper top
Bottle base

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.  
Signature:   Signed on the base "Simpson" and the number "2-13-17" indicating it was made in 2017. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks, chips or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Another View
Signature on base
Top view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.   
Condition:  Very good condition.  Some wear and minor scratches on the dome and base.  No chips or cracks.  There are bubbles at the edge of each wing, which could be considered a flaw but is not damage.
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be by John Degenhart.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile View
Front view
Base

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.

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. 
Condition:  Excellent Condition with no chips or cracks.  No scratches found on inspection.
Signature:  Hot stamped "JOE ST. CLAIR" on the bottom.  This probably dates from the 1960s or 1970s, but may be earlier.  Joe St. Clair died in 1987. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Top view
Profile View
Signature on bottom
Another view
Side view

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.

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.

• 1845-1860 - Classic period
• 1920-1934 - Dupont period
• 1953-2002 - Modern 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:  3" diameter by 2 1/4" high.  Bottom is ground slightly concave. Made by Baccarat in France in 1975.
Condition:  Outstanding condition with no cracks or chips or scratches.  It is in perfect original condition. 
Signature:  Made by Baccarat in France in 1975.  Signed in the design with a "B 1975" signature cane and on the bottom with the etched Baccarat mark and edition number. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up
Profile view
Signature cane
Baccarat logo and numbered edition on base
Entire base

$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.

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. 
Condition:  Fair to Good condition although with many scratches on the surface and considerable wear on the base.  No chips, cracks, or circular impact marks found on inspection.   
Signature: Unsigned, but I believe this to be the work of Charles Degenhart. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup
Profile View
Side view
Base

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.

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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks.
Signature:  Signed with a complex "F" cane in the center of the design. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Side view
Bottom with star cut

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.

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.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches or wear.  The box and lining have some wear and the celluloid cover is cracked in places (as shown in the pictures). 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is a genuine Lassman bottle opener with a Vasart paperweight handle.  The word "ENGLAND" appears on the metal part. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the bottle opener
Close-up view of just the handle
England stamped on hardware portion
Another view
Opener in open box
Another view with box pieces
Opener with closed box

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.
Signature :  No signature, but I guarantee that this is an authentic antique American paperweight from the period 1888 -1912. 
Condition :  In very good condition consistent with its age.  It has considerable wear and scratches on the surface and on the base as shown in the pictures.  There is an incompatibility crack at the edge of the upper group of twists (shown in two pictures with arrows).  No chips or other cracks found on inspection.  No circular impact marks. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Base
Profile view
Side view
Another side view
Incompatibility crack
Another view of incompatibility crack

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.                  (dl-va-a)

Click on the picture to see a larger image.                       

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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed and numbered "PHOENIX 2003 25/75" on the base.  This paperweight comes with its original certificate and slightly worn box. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Base with signature
Side view
Box and certificate
Paperweight with box and certificate

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Very Large Size:  Just under 3 1/4" diameter by 5 5/16" tall.
Condition:  It is in excellent condition for its age with only a few minor scratches.  Heavy wear on the base.   
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique English paperweight.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile View
Another large picture
Picture of the bottom

$185 postage paid in the US.                                                 Added 9/14/2017.   

For more information about paperweights from England, see my English Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.

• 1845-1860 - Classic period
• 1920-1934 - Dupont period
• 1953-2002 - Modern 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.

Very Large Size:  3 1/4" diameter by 2 1/4" high.    The opaque white base is ground flat.
Signature:  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). 
Condition:   Excellent condition.  I found no damage except for scratches and wear on the base. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Base
Signature on base
Signature cane "B 1994"
Side view

For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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. 
Condition:  Good condition.  As is typical for this type of paperweight, it has surface and base wear and scratches.  It also has two small circular impact marks.  No cracks or chips (other than the two impact marks).  The bottom has a the remnants of the pontil mark and also has considerable wear. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique English paperweight. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup of sulphide
Side view
Back view
Closeup of back
Base
Side view
Surface with scratches and impact mark

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.

Size:  The knob is 1 13/16" diameter by 2 1/8" high.  No spindle.   
Condition: Very good condition for its age.  It has a worn area on the face about 7/8" wide (shown in one of the pictures) across plus other scratches.  The hardware is worn in places but intact.  There is no spindle.     
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique paperweight from Bohemia.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
End View
Another view
Still another view
View of worn area
Large scratch 

For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . 

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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. 
Signature: Signed at the base of the stem with the earliest Delmo and Debbie Tarsitano "T" signature cane.  This cane was use from about 1976 to 1978. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No cracks, chips or scratches found on inspection. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Signature cane
Base
Another view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.  
Condition:  Very good condition with no chips,or cracks.  I found a couple of very faint scratches. 
Signature:  Signed on the base with an engraved signature "RLS '90" and it also has the original label "SCHUSTER STUDIOS NASHVILLE INDIANA".

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Side View
Base with signature, date, and pontil mark
Label

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no chips, cracks or scratches found on inspection with the exception of a few scratches on the base.  The surface is textured which makes inspection for scratches difficult.  
Signature:  Unsigned.  I do not know the age, maker, or country of origin for this paperweight.  It was part of a collection that dated from the 1960s and 1970s.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Top View
Side View
Base

For more information about paperweights by unknown makers, see my Unknown Makers Paperweights Web Page .

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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.

• 1845-1860 - Classic period
• 1920-1934 - Dupont period
• 1953-2002 - Modern 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:  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. 
Signature:  The paperweight has a "B" incised on the edge of the sulphide and an acid etched Baccarat mark on the base.  The sulphide is also signed with an incised "G. POILLERAT 1955" on the edge.   
Condition:   Excellent condition.  I found no damage except for minor wear on the base.  There is, however, a bubble or striation or a piece of debris in the glass below the surface.  This does not look like damage (see the picture with red arrow).

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Base
Baccarat mark on base
G. POILLERAT 1955 incised on sulphide
B incised on sulphide and bubble or striation below surface of glass

For more information about sulphide paperweights, see my Sulphide Paperweights Web Page

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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.
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks.  There are some tiny bubbles in the glass. 
Signature:  Signed with the J Glass "J" signature cane and Allan Scott's "A" signature cane in the garland.  These are very tiny and are best viewed from the base.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature canes viewed from base
Base

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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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).
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No chips, cracks or scratches. 
Signature:  Signed with a Whitefriars signature / date cane showing a Whitefriar and the date 1978.    It also has the Whitefriars paper label. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:  

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Top view
Side view
Signature cane
Label

For more information about Whitefriars and other paperweights from England,see my English Paperweights Web Page.

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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.
Signature:   Signed "Mayauel Ward 2003" on the base. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no cracks or chips.  I could not find any scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up View
Profile View
Signature on base
Side view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Very good condition although it has a small 1/4" chip on the base where the pontil used to be.  No other chips or cracks or scratches were found.  
Signature:  Unsigned but this is definitely a Gentile Glass product.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile View
Top View
Another view
Base with 1/4" chip in center

For more information about Gentile paperweights, see my Gentile Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition: Poor condition. The base has significant damage from wear as shown in the pictures.  Although the body has only a few minor scratches, it is unlikely that this paperweight could be restored without removing the yellow/amber stain ground.   
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique paperweight from Bohemia.  

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
Close-up View
Bottom view
Profile view
Another bottom view

For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . 

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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.
Condition: Very good condition for its age.  There are some scratches on the surface and one noticeable 1/16" nick on the side (shown in one of the pictures).   
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is paperweight is from the regions described (Bohemia or Silesia or Thuringia) and was most likely made pre-WWII.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
Close-up View
Bottom view
Profile view
Another view showing damage on side

For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . 

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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.  
Signature:  Signed on the base "Ray Banford".
Condition:  Very good condition.  One tiny chip (less than 1/16") as shown in the pictures.  No other chips, cracks, or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Signature on base
Tiny nick

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Outstanding condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed with a complex "PMcD" cane on the base.  It also has a paper label "PMcD Glass Studio LTD, Hand Made in Crieff Scotland." 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Bottom showing label, star cut base, and edition number (15/40)
Certificate

For more information about paperweights made by Peter McDougall, see my Peter McDougall Web Page

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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. 
Condition: Excellent condition with no cracks or chips or scratches.  It is in perfect original condition. 
Signature:  Made by Baccarat in France in 1975.  Signed in cane and on the bottom. 
Execution:  Perfect execution. 

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.

•     1845-1860 - Classic period
•     1900-1934 - Dupont period
•     1953 - on - Modern period

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
Closeup view
Profile view
Signature cane
Signature on base

For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No damage found. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this is an antique paperweight chalice, most likely from the border area between France and Germany. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture
Close-up View
Star cut in base of bowl
View of joint
View of foot

For more information about antique paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page . 

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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. 
Signature:  Made by Baccarat in France in 1979.  Signed on the bottom with the Baccarat logo and with a "B1979" signature cane. 
Condition:    Excellent condition with no cracks or chips.   There are some minor scratches on the bottom. 

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.

•     1845-1860 - Classic period
•     1900-1934 - Dupont period
•     1953 - on - Modern period

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Signature
Another view of signature showing "17" better
Signature cane

For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Signature :  Engraved with a reversed "P" on a tiny facet near the base.  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. 
Condition :  Outstanding condition with no cracks, chips, or scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile view
Base with label and engraved P signature (reversed)
Close-up showing Engraved P signature viewed from the top
Box
Box with paperweight and certificate
Certificate

For more information about Perthshire Paperweights, see my Perthshire Web Page.

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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. 
Signature:      Unsigned but I guarantee that this is from China and dates from about 1930. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  There are some minor scratches on the body and one 3/16" chip on one side.  The base has age appropriate wear.  As is typical to weights of this type, the glass has some debris and tiny bubbles.  As with Chinese paperweights from this period, this paperweight has a greenish tinge and a soft almost oily feel.   In this example the flower separated slightly from the stem during the stem during encasement. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Chip on side
Bottom view

For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Signature: Signed at the base of the stem with the Delmo and Debbie Tarsitano conjoined "DT" signature cane.  This cane was use from about 1978 to 1980. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  No cracks, chips or scratches found on inspection, with the exception of one faint (about 1/8") scratch on the side. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Signature
Bottom
Another view
Scratch on side (about 1/8")
Another view

For more paperweights by contemporary American paperweight makers, see my Contemporary American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic Toledo style paperweight, most likely by Alex Stelzer of Libbey Glass. 
Condition:  Excellent condition. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Top View

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Signature :  No signature, but I guarantee that this is an authentic Millville umbrella paperweight from the period 1860-1912. 
Condition :  Very Good.  This paperweight has scratches on the side and some on the top plus good wear on the base.  Although the scratches are noticeable, the paperweight displays well.  No chips and no cracks. 
Execution : Very good.  Very well executed design that is well centered and displays all of the typical Millville umbrella characteristics.  There are some bubbles in the design. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Another large picture
Close-up view of side showing scratches
Top View
Bottom View

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Outstanding condition.  No chips, cracks or scratches.  The paperweight has been professionally restored. 
Signature:    Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic antique paperweight, most likely from the New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Circa 1851 
Execution:  Very good, although there are striations and bubbles in the glass.  Some of the Kossuth Sulphides have the name KOSSUTH on the edge.  It is not visible on this example. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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View of Back
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For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  There are scratches and small chips on the body and chips on some of the facets, but no cracks and no impact marks.  There is wear on the base.  There is plenty of glass and the paperweight could be restored, but I chose not to do so. 
Signature:   Unsigned but I guarantee this to be an authentic antique Clichy paperweight. 
Execution:  Very good execution.  The design is well centered.  There are some bubbles in the glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Another close-Up view
Side view
Bottom view

For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Outstanding condition.  No chips, cracks or scratches.  The paperweight has been professionally restored. 
Signature:   Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic antique paperweight, most likely from Clichy in France.  Circa 1851 
Execution:  Perfect, although there are some tiny bubbles in the glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Closeup View
Another Closeup View 
Profile View

For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition: Outstanding condition with no cracks or chips or scratches.  It is in perfect original condition. 
Signature:  Made by Baccarat in France in 1983.  Signed in cane and on the bottom. 

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.

•     1845-1860 - Classic period
•     1900-1934 - Dupont period
•     1953 - on - Modern period

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: 

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Close-up picture
Profile view
Distorted Signature cane
View of the bottom with the Baccarat logo and numbered edition
View with box

For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Very good condition for its age.  There are scratches and tiny chips on the body and on some of the facets.  The largest bruise is a 1/8" bruise on one facet.  There is wear on the base.  There is plenty of glass and the paperweight could be restored, but I chose not to do so. 
Signature:   Unsigned but I guarantee this to be an authentic antique Clichy paperweight. 
Execution:  Very good execution.  The design is well centered.  There are some bubbles in the glass. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Side view
Bottom view
Another view of base
Bruise on facet

For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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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:

• Magic in the Glass - The Paperweight Artistry of Charles Kaziun, Jr. by Bernard A. Drabeck 
• American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1970) 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile View
Signature on Bottom
Another view

For more paperweights by Charles Kaziun, see my Kaziun Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Good to very good condition for its age.  There are scratches and some nicks on the large window facet, considerable wear on the base, and some nicks where the base meets the sides.  The paperweight displays very well.  The picture of Masaryk is marred by a defect and bubble in one corner of his face. 
Signature :  Unsigned, but I guarantee that this is a vintage paperweight from the Bohemia / Czech region and it originates from approximately 1900-1937. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup view
Profile view
Back view
Side view
View of Bottom
Some of the scratches and nicks on the face

For more information about Bohemian paperweights, see my Bohemian Paperweights Web Page . 

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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. 
Signature:   Unsigned but I guarantee that this is from China and dates from about 1930. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  There are some minor surface scratches and pinpricks and also some tiny pinpricks on the facets plus one 1/8" chip on a facet (see picture).  There is some debris or dirt in the glass as shown in the pictures.  As with all Chinese paperweights from this period, this paperweight has a light weight glass mixture that is high in soda and has a greenish tinge. The glass has a soft almost oily feel. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Side view
Bottom view
Picture of chip

For more information about paperweights from China, see my Chinese Paperweights Web Page.

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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.  . 
Condition:  Very good condition.  I found no cracks or significant scratches, but did find two small circular impact marks on the side near the base, each approximately 1/8" across (see pictures). 
Signature:  Signed with a PY at the bottom of the stem. 
Execution:  Perfect execution.  The glass has a slight yellowish tinge which indicates (to me) that it was likely made earlier in Paul Ysart's career. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Bottom view
Impact mark
Another impact mark

For more information about paperweights made by Scottish makers, see my Scottish Paperweights Web Page

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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: 

• Paperweight Handled Claret Spoon (or Martini Stirrer)
• Paperweight Handled Double Jigger Measure (marked 1 ounce and 1 1/2 ounce)
• Paperweight Handled Corkscrew
• Paperweight Handled Two Piece pourer
• Paperweight Handled Bottle Opener
• Paperweight Handled Can Opener

$995 postage paid in the US.                          Added 4/2/2016. 

Click on the picture or this link to see more details on this set.

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. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee it was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. 
Condition:  Very good condition with some scratches on the surface but no chips or cracks. 
Execution:   The glass is slightly yellow and the canes are smudged on one side. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Side view
Bottom view
Profile view

For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . 

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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. 
Signature:  This paperweight is not signed, but I guarantee it to be an antique paperweight originating in Germany or one of the nearby countries. 
Condition:  Excellent condition.  I could not find any significant damage on this paperweight.  However, as noted above, there is a incompatibility fracture surrounding the center plaque. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Bottom View

For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Signature:  This paperweight is not signed, but I guarantee it to be an authentic antique New England Glass Company paperweight. 
Condition:  Fair condition with no cracks.  Although the surface is in poor condition with many scratches and nicks, it is a good candidate for restoration.  It can also be enjoyed the way it is. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up View
Profile View
Bottom View
Another profile view

For more information about Antique Paperweights, see my Antique Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image. 

Large Size:   3 1/8" diameter by 2 1/2" high.  The base is ground flat. 
Condition:    Fair Condition.  There are many tiny abrasions or bruises surface of the paperweight as shown in the picture, but the paperweight displays beautifully.  Priced accordingly. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee that this paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy, probably by Fratelli Toso. 
Execution:  The design is tilted within the paperweight. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
View of damage on surface

For more information about Murano paperweights, see my Murano Paperweights Web Page . 

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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. 
Condition: Very good condition, although it does have one tiny circular impact mark (about 1/16" across).  Other than that, I found no cracks, chips or significant scratches. 
Signature:  Unsigned but I guarantee that this was made by Baccarat during the 1920-1934 period. 
Execution:  The glass in this paperweight has some dirt or debris as shown in the pictures.  There is a bit of distortion in the due to a dimple at the top of the dome.  The high dome has a lot of extra glass and this paperweight would probably benefit from a professional polishing.  Finally, the center cane is distorted and the pink canes lack definition.  Priced accordingly. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up picture
Side view
Profile view
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For more information about Baccarat paperweights, see my Baccarat Paperweights Web Page.

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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. 
Condition:  Very good condition.  There are some very minor scratches or abrasions on the top that appear to be from when the paperweight was made, but nothing significant. 
Signature:  Hot stamped "ST CLAIR" on the bottom. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

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Signature on bottom

For more information about paperweights made by the St. Clair family, see my St. Clair Paperweights Web Page . 

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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. 
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic Union Glass paperweight. 
Condition:  Excellent good condition with no cracks or chips.  This paperweight has been professionally restored. 
Execution:  Excellent execution. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: 

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile View
Bottom View

For more vintage American paperweights, see my Vintage American Paperweights Web Page.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.