Murano Paperweights for Sale
Murano Paperweights for Sale
The glass paperweights on this page were made on the Island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Most were made between 1960 and 2000.
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.
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| 1603 | Antique Franchini Type Aventurine
Venetian Murine Paperweight Scent Bottle. circa
1840-1880. This rare Franchini type miniature Venetian scent
bottle has two early murrine canes. On the front is a
murrine of a gondola. The murrine on the back depicts a
winged lion on water, or the Lion of St. Mark. This murrine
has a small fracture in the cane. The six-sided shape is
similar to known scent bottles made by Giacomo Franchini.
The glass is filled with aventurine and colored swirls. It
is in very good condition aside from the fractured murrine and has
normal age appropriate wear. There are also small fractures
on the neck. It does not have its original stopper and
hinged cap. Most likely it also originally had a
chain. Despite the similarity to known Franchini items, I am
selling this as "Franchini Type" as other glass artisans of the
period probably copied the work of the Franchini workshop. For comparable images, see the following pages in Miniature Masterpieces - Mosaic Glass 1838-1924 by Giovanni Sarpellon. A similar six-sided scent bottle appears in figure 520 on page 57. Similar gondola murrine appear in figures 425-439 on page 47. The lion of St. Mark appears in figure 422 on page 46. Note on condition: The scent bottle has several flaws. The cane of the Lion of St. Mark has a small fracture. There are also small fractures on the neck. The scent bottle does not have its original stopper, hinged cap, or chain. It also has age appropriate wear. Giacomo (Jacopo) Franchini (1827-1897) worked with his father Giovanni Battista Franchini (1804-1873) on the development of millefiori canes incorporating figurative designs as well as floral patterns. His is best known for his miniature portraits of the famous people of his time. He produced some of the most remarkable glass portraits and many were incorporated into scent bottles, walking stick handles and other objects, some useful and some purely decorative. His creative period ended in 1863 when he was confined to an asylum. For more details on the remarkable work produced by the Franchini family and others of the period, see the book Miniature Masterpieces - Mosaic Glass 1838-1924 by Giovanni Sarpellon. Miniature size: Just over
2 3/8" tall by just under 15/16" wide by 11/16" thick..
It weighs two ounces. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$395 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image |
| 5242 | Magnum Murano Faceted Double Overlay
Three Row Concentric Millefiori Paperweight with 1854
Date. circa 1960-1970. A wonderful Murano three
row concentric millefiori paperweight with a red and white double
overlay. The 1854 date cane is surrounded by three rings of
identical white cog canes with turquoise centers. The "1854"
date cane is either a fake date intended to deceive the buyer or
perhaps commemorative of a past event. This paperweight is
faceted with one large top facet and five side facets. The
top facet has an unusual cutting as does the base which is
polished flat and finished with a fancy star cut. Probably
made in the 1960s by Fratelli Toso. A classic design. Murano paperweights with fake dates are an interesting sub-collection. Some people collect these paperweights with the goal of getting examples of each date. Some dates correspond dates used in real antique French or American paperweights, but there are no antique paperweights known to have an 1854 date. 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. Fratelli Toso was started in 1854 by six brothers - Angelo Toso, Giovanni Toso, Ferdinando Toso, Carlo Toso, Gregorio Toso and Liberato Toso. They were joined by Ermanno Toso in 1924 who became artistic director. The Fratelli Toso company is well known for its use of colorful murrines and millefiori, particularly during the 1950's and earlier. In 1979, the company suffered a harsh economic crisis, forcing the owners to divide it into Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso and Fratelli Toso International. In 1981, Fratelli Toso International filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso, led by Arnoldo Toso, continued to operate. Very large size: 3 3/16" diameter by 2 1/8"
high. The base is polished flat and finished with a fancy
star cut. This paperweight is faceted with one large top
facet and five smaller side facets. The top facet has an
unusual cutting. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$145 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image |
| 5128 | Large Murano Scramble
Paperweight. circa 1970. This fun scramble
paperweight is filled with light blue twist canes placed over a
ground of white lace or upset muslin. The blue twists have
gold aventurine edges. Unsigned. Note: Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. This paperweight has a faint scratch on the top of the dome. I also found a tiny (1/8") area on the side that appears to be debris in the glass. It cannot be felt and is not a bruise or pinprick. See the pictures for a closeup. 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. This paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Large Size: 3" diameter by just under 2
11/16" high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$65 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image |
| 5970 | Large Murano Carpet Ground Millefiori
Paperweight - ALT or 3 Fiori. circa 1970s-2000.
This paperweight is a great example of a carpet millefiori
paperweight from the premier Murano glass studio ALT or its later
successor Vetreria 3 Fiori. The design is closely packed
with two types of flower canes. One type of flower canes
sets up a concentric design of two rows around a center cane of
the same type. The other type of flower cane fills in all
the spaces to form a uniform carpet and also forms a stave basket
on the outside of the design. The setup is convex when
viewed from the side but concave when viewed from the base.
The base is polished flat. It is unsigned, but certainly
originated at either ALT or 3 Fiori. A wonderful
paperweight. Note on condition: This paperweight has two small areas with damage on the side. One is an abrasion or rough area approximately 1/4" across. The other is an area about the same size low on the side with several pinpricks or tiny chips. Both are hard to see without magnification. They are shown in the pictures. The paperweight displays beautifully but I have chosen to reduce the price to compensate for these flaws. This paperweight was made either ALT studio or Vetreria
3 Fiori studio on the island of Murano
in Venice, Italy. ALT
was founded in the 1970s and specialized in making
paperweights, although they also made other types of
glass. They continued in operation until around
2002. In the late 1990s two glass workers at ALT left
and founded Vetreria 3 Fiori, which came to be
recognized as the
best millefiori paperweight maker in Murano. This studio
was in operation for only five years from about 2000 to
2005. Subsequently, two of
the workers at 3 Fiori opened a new
studio called The Millefiori Factory but it appears that that
has also closed. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Large Size: 3 1/16" diameter by 1 15/16"
high with a flat polished base. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$75 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image  |
| 5304 | Large Murano Spaced Millefiori on Lace
Paperweight with Rare Signature Cane and KB Label - Probably by
Fratelli Toso. dated 1969. This
paperweight is a good example of a Murano spaced millefiori
paperweight with eight bright colored millefiori canes plus a rare
signature cane placed on a lace ground. The signature cane
reads "M.B 69" in blue letters on a white background. This
signature cane has been previously recorded and a variation
appears in Andrew Dohan's Dictionary of Paperweight Signature
Canes", revised edition. At this time, the precise
meaning of the signature cane is unknown. In addition, it
has a worn and faded silver foil label from KB (Koscherak
Brothers) stating that it is "AN ORIGINAL CREATION BY KB.
MADE IN ITALY".
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. Koscherak Brothers (KB) were importers of Murano glass and Italian pottery from the 1950s until the late 1970s . At the time, they had a showroom at 225 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. Some writers have observed that most of the Italian Glass imported under the KB Label was made by Fratelli Toso, but others have noted that KB labels appear on other good Italian glass including Barovier-Toso, Seguso, and others. KB is believed to have stopped importing Italian glass about 1977, but continued to exist in New York City until at least 1993. Large Size: 2 15/16" diameter by 2 5/8"
high. The base is ground flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$195 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image  |
| 5640 | Large Murano Crown Hollow Blown
Paperweight - Probably Fratelli Toso. circa
1950-1970. Colorful Murano crown crown paperweight.
The weight is formed from 16 alternating strands of pink , red,
and lavender twists. This crown paperweight is unusual in
that it is hollow blown with a large bubble in the center in the
style of antique crown paperweights. Most modern crown
paperweights are solid in the center. A great example for
any collector of paperweights or Murano glass. Probably made
by Fratelli Toso.
Crown weights are considered by some to be the most exciting of all millefiori designs. They are extremely difficult to make. Hollow blown crown weights are even more difficult to make and are hard to find. A similar hollow crown paperweight appears on page 51 of the book Paperweights by Sibylle Jargstorf and is attributed to Fratelli Toso. 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. Fratelli Toso was started in 1854 by six brothers - Angelo Toso, Giovanni Toso, Ferdinando Toso, Carlo Toso, Gregorio Toso and Liberato Toso. They were joined by Ermanno Toso in 1924 who became artistic director. The Fratelli Toso company is well known for its use of colorful murrines and millefiori, particularly during the 1950's and earlier. In 1979, the company suffered a harsh economic crisis, forcing the owners to divide it into Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso and Fratelli Toso International. In 1981, Fratelli Toso International filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso, led by Arnoldo Toso, continued to operate. Large Size: Just under 2 15/16" diameter by
2 3/8" high. The bottom is polished flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$135 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 5971 | Magnum Murano Six Row Concentric Millefiori
Paperweight - Likely by Barovier & Toso. circa
1970. This paperweight is a good example of an extra large
Murano concentric millefiori paperweight. It has six tight
rows of large cogged millefiori canes in alternating colors (red,
white, and blue) around a center cane. Each cane is built up
of multiple layers of cogged design. The red and blue canes
are cased with extra color on the outside. The design is
placed over a clear ground. This paperweight is unsigned but
I believe it was made by the firm of Barovier & Toso based on
similar examples found with labels. A large colorful
addition to any collection of millefiori paperweights. Note on condition: The paperweight has several very faint scratches and scuffs. The longest is about 1/2" long and is on top. The other scuffs and scratches are smaller and located on the side. The paperweight displays beautifully. The glass has some striations. 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. Barovier & Toso was started in 1877 by Antonio Salviati (1816-1890), Giovanni Barovier (1839-1908), and cousins. Originally known as Artisti Barovier, the firm merged in 1936 with Artemio and Decio Toso (owners of Ferro Toso) to form Ferro-Toso-Barovier which became Barovier & Toso in 1942. The firm continues to operate in 21st Century and has its own museum and a Czech Republic subsidiary. It is directed by Angelo Barovier, his son Jacopo Barovier, and Giovani Toso. Very large size: Just over 3 5/8" diameter
by 2 15/16" high. It weighs two pounds two ounces (three
pounds when packaged). The base is polished flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large pictureSOLD. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image |
| 5972 | Large Fratelli Toso Murano Scramble
Paperweight with Millefiori Canes. circa
1950-1970. This scramble paperweight is filled with
multi-colored twist canes and three millefiori. The three
complete millefiori canes are turquoise, yellow, and brown.
A couple of glass fragments inside the paperweight have internal
fractures, so I am selling this for a reduced price. It is
unsigned, but I guarantee this is a genuine Fratelli Toso
paperweight. A fun paperweight with great color. Note on internal fractures: Scrambles like this frequently contain scrap pieces of glass that may fracture when encased. I spotted two small pieces, one yellow piece at the base and one white piece near the yellow cane, that have fractures. There is a picture of the white fractured piece - the fracture is about 3/8" long. 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. Fratelli Toso was started in 1854 by six brothers - Angelo Toso, Giovanni Toso, Ferdinando Toso, Carlo Toso, Gregorio Toso and Liberato Toso. They were joined by Ermanno Toso in 1924 who became artistic director. The Fratelli Toso company is well known for its use of colorful murrines and millefiori, particularly during the 1950's and earlier. In 1979, the company suffered a harsh economic crisis, forcing the owners to divide it into Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso and Fratelli Toso International. In 1981, Fratelli Toso International filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso, led by Arnoldo Toso, continued to operate.
Large size: 3" diameter by 2 3/4" high. The
base is polished and slightly concave. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$39 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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to see a larger image  |
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Vintage Murano Concentric Paperweight with
1869 Date. circa 1930-1960. Vintage
concentric design with pedestal base and fake 1869 date. It
has five rings of cog and floral canes around the 1869 date
cane. This is a hard to find example of an early Murano
weight that was intended to fool collectors.
A similar paperweight is shown in Figures 69 & 71, page 42 of Selman's first book Paperweights for Collectors Size: 3"” diameter by 3 1/8” high. The
bottom is fire finished. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture of the paperweight$195 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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Murano Trumpet Flower Paperweight with
Label, possibly by Ferro and Lazzarini. Circa
1970. Murano trumpet or icepick flower paperweight with
seven flowers and a center bubble cushion ground. The
flowers are loosely arranged around a center flower. Each
flower is made from a colored millefiori slice that has been
pushed down to the bubble cushion ground. There is a planned
bubble in the center of each flower. This paperweight has
its original but worn red and gold foil label identifying it as
"MADE IN MURANO ITALY". The maker is possibly Ferro and
Lazzarini. A very nice elegant example of this style of
paperweight.
This style is also called an icepick flower because of the sharp tool used to push each flower down to the base. In this case the tool is pushed through a millefiori glass slice. Some authors call these morning glory flowers. 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. Size: Just over 3" diameter by 2 7/8" high.
The bottom is polished flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large pictureSOLD. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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| 5638 | Unusual Magnum Murano Paperweight with
Floral Decoration on Blue Plaque. circa 1960 -
1980. This unusual paperweight features floral decoration
painted in enamel on a blue plaque. The painting is signed
"M. Allin". The paperweight does not have a label but I am
certain it was made on the island of Murano in Venice. This paperweight was made on the island of Murano in Venice, Italy. Venetian glass making dates back centuries and the Venetians are given credit for the earliest millefiori canes and paperweights in 1840s. More recently, paperweight making was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Very large size: 3 3/16" diameter by 2 3/4"
high. The base has been polished flat. This
paperweight has a high profile typical of Murano paperweights. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$69 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image |
| 4038 | Colorful Murano Figural Bird Paperweight
- Made From Twist Canes. circa 1960s -
1970s. This paperweight is a good example of a Murano
figural paperweight. The bird is formed from seven colored
twist canes and seven alternating white latticinio twist canes
with eyes and beak added. The pink, green, blue, and yellow
colored twist canes have aventurine edges. Bright and
colorful. A fun paperweight. Note: Although this paperweight is beautifully made, there is some debris in the glass and there is some roughness at the end of the tail feathers - left by the tools used to snip the glass. 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. Size: Just under 3" long (beak to tail) by
diameter by 1 3/4" wide. The small base is polished
flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$85 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
Click on the picture to see a larger image  |
| 4075 | Small Fratelli Toso Murano Scramble
Paperweight. circa 1950-1970. This
fun scramble paperweight is filled with light blue and pink twist
canes. There is an illegible silver foil label, but I
guarantee this is a genuine Fratelli Toso paperweight. Note: This paperweight started off with a legible Fratelli Toso silver foil label which had a conjoined "ft" and "MADE IN ITALY MURANO GLASS", but the ink came off when I cleaned the paperweight. The label is now illegible and I am selling it for a reduced price. If you look hard, you can see the imprint of the conjoined "ft" on the left side. 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. Fratelli Toso was started in 1854 by six brothers - Angelo Toso, Giovanni Toso, Ferdinando Toso, Carlo Toso, Gregorio Toso and Liberato Toso. They were joined by Ermanno Toso in 1924 who became artistic director. The Fratelli Toso company is well known for its use of colorful murrines and millefiori, particularly during the 1950's and earlier. In 1979, the company suffered a harsh economic crisis, forcing the owners to divide it into Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso and Fratelli Toso International. In 1981, Fratelli Toso International filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso, led by Arnoldo Toso, continued to operate.
Small size: Just under 2 1/4" diameter by 2"
high. The base is polished flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$39 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image
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| 4445 | Large Murano Pear
Paperweight. circa 1950-1980. This
pear paperweight is made in the style of the antique New England
Glass Company pear paperweights with a variegated pear set on a
clear slightly oval cookie base. It appears to be hollow
blown just like those from NEGC. An excellent example of
this style. 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. Size: 2 3/4" diameter by 3 15/16" long by 2
15/16" high. The base 2 13/16" by 2 11/16" and is fire
finished. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$69 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image |
| 4975 | Miniature Murano Three Ring Millefiori
Paperweight. circa 1960-1980. Colorful
miniature millefiori paperweight from Murano with a red white and
blue theme. This paperweight has three rings of cogged
millefiori around a nice center cane. It is in excellent
condition. The paperweight is unsigned. A fun item. 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. Miniature size: Just over 1 13/16" diameter by
just under 1 1/2" high. The base is polished flat. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$34 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
Click
on the picture to see a larger image |
| 5639 | Large Fratelli Toso Murano Block
Shaped Millefiori Paperweight with Handle. circa
1960-1979. Colorful Fratelli Toso millefiori paperweight
with a knob or handle on top. The green inner core has a
variety of cogged millefiori canes on the surface of the green
layer. A controlled pattern of bubbles surrounds the inner
core. This paperweight has a worn Fratelli Toso silver foil
label with a conjoined "ft" and "MADE IN ITALY MURANO
GLASS". The center of the green core is hollow and the
paperweight has an irregular 5/8" by 1 1/2" hole in the
base. The knob on the top is a fun addition. The technique used to produce the inner core with millefiori canes on the surface is sometimes called a cane roll-up. The Murano firms of Fratelli Toso and Barovier & Toso produced objects with this technique. 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. Fratelli Toso was started in 1854 by six brothers - Angelo Toso, Giovanni Toso, Ferdinando Toso, Carlo Toso, Gregorio Toso and Liberato Toso. They were joined by Ermanno Toso in 1924 who became artistic director. The Fratelli Toso company is well known for its use of colorful murrines and millefiori, particularly during the 1950's and earlier. In 1979, the company suffered a harsh economic crisis, forcing the owners to divide it into Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso and Fratelli Toso International. In 1981, Fratelli Toso International filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso, led by Arnoldo Toso, continued to operate. Size: 2 9/16" square at the widest. The
base is 2 1/8" square. 4 5/8" high including the
knob. The base is polished flat with a beveled edge. The
center of the green core is hollow and the paperweight has an
irregular 5/8" by 1 1/2" hole in the base. For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links: Large picture$59 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image. |
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on the picture to see a larger image |
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Revised 3/16/2023 EI9
