Topic: Back to front signature canes

[karelm]

Hi,
I have two paperweights in my collection that both have back-to-front signature canes in them.  One by Peter McDougall and the other Perthshire.  Neither are highly collectable as they both are standard/mass produced.  I presume this is not as rear as I initially thought, especially in the unlimited weights, and that does not really affect the value of the weights?
I can only presume that PMCD has fused the four canes as I cannot see how the whole lot could be placed the wrong way around?
Thanks and kind regards.

[glasstrufflehunter]

I suppose at some future date the ones with backwards sig canes might be worth a little more.

Even though the weights you speak of are general range weights, I have difficulty thinking of them 'mass produced'. Even though they are not limited I doubt McDougall makes more than a couple hundred of each model in a given year. Perthshire being a factory sized operation probably made more.

I would say with the closure of Perthshire even their general range weights are highly collectible. They always get a lot of bidding activity on eBay.

There are not many makers who make weights to the standard of perfection you see in Perthshire and McDougall.

[PaperweightArts]

Actually, the oddity of reversed letters might make collectors avoid the weights. I suppose you could add $5 to the value, but there is no "antique" value for either Perthshire or McDougall weights. And are you writing that the Perthshire has a reverse "P" cane in it? Regardless, they are still too new in terms of their making and collectibility. Maybe in 150 years, things might change. Just as the mid-19th-century weights from France now garner top dollar. As for "mass-produced," I agree that you can hardly call Perthsire or McDougall makers of "mass-produced" paperweights.

[daveweight]

A friend of mine has the nicest Baccarat with silhouette canes I have ever seen but the B1848 date cane has been put in backwards.
Dave

[karelm]

Thanks for the inputs so far!
Dave, do you know if your friend payed above the normal price for that?
I need this info to tell my grandchildren about my two weights (The grandkids should start apearing in about 20-30 years )
I accept that the Perthshire etc weights have no antique value, but as others have posted, I do not believe that that detracts from their collectability.  As a new colector myself I believe these are the weights that most people do actually collect, making them highly collectable! 
{One just has to have a look at the way auctions go on ebay to see this, I have seen Baccarat, Saint Louis, Clichy etc weights sell with 5-10 (serious) bids and big bucks; the same holds true for the good modern millifiori weights such as Perthshire, JD, PMCD, Strathearn etc however with affordable price tags.  Of course when you start talking good lampwork (or some of the brilliant millefiori the abovementioned produce/d) the picture changes back to big bucks. As always I'm getting a bit carried away but the point I am trying to make is that there are only so many weights made by the same people that one wants, especially in the same/similar pattern number, until you start looking for something different...and affordable in terms of your collection...and a reversed signature could be one of those things.}
Kind regards...and happy May Day/Workers Day

[glasstrufflehunter]

I have two of the same 'model' of a PMcD standard range because they look so different from each other. I don't suppose I would have done that if they had been terribly expensive.

I just remembered that one of my PMcDs has a backwards sig cane. I took a piccie of it but the file is too large to upload. With as tiny as those canes are, I would not be surprised that a lot of them end up going in backwards.

[karelm]

I have two of the same 'model' of a PMcD standard range because they look so different from each other. I don't suppose I would have done that if they had been terribly expensive.

I have the same thing with 3 Perthshire weights....they all measure to a different width and look different from each other so I could explain it to SWMBO!
Unfortunately I also have a lot of Eastern weights that are very similar......anyone want an instant collection

[josordoni]

Unfortunately I also have a lot of Eastern weights that are very similar......anyone want an instant collection

hahahahaha   If we add yours and mine Karel, we'd probably have enough for a museum.

I think I last counted about 300 weights sitting in boxes not going anywhere, stuff that came when I bought ones I REALLY wanted... I can't decide what to do with them. Someone suggested lining the path with them in the garden.  I thought I might give it a try on the rockery..

I take a batch with me every time I do a boot sale, but these days nobody wants the basic stuff, even at a couple of quid, only Millefiori weights (doesn't matter if they are Chinese, people just like these) or named ones. 

[karelm]

Hi,
Have a look at the first pic on this page http://www.genrefluent.com/ES_07_2006.htm
and the third pic (far right) here http://www.portlandonline.com/OSD/index.cfm?c=ecbbi
now if you are going to stay in your house for a couple of years.....
Kind regards
PS: any of those chinese weights lampwork? or bottles

[josordoni]

No bottles, but some other lampworks... the lily and frog is still available  . That's the best one.