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Author Topic: Origin of this Harlequin Paperweight  (Read 2899 times)

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Offline zidori

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Origin of this Harlequin Paperweight
« on: June 04, 2007, 09:07:40 PM »
I came across this paperweight recently thinking it was another Paul Ysart Harlequin paperweight to add to my collection. However, it is different to the Harlequin paperweight I already possess (definitely an Ysart one 'cos Kev H said so!) in that the cushion from which the bubbles rise appears to be consist of small shards of coloured canes whereas the Ysart example seemed to be more distorted canes.
Can anyone help me identify this particular example, please.
Ronnie

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Offline daveweight

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Re: Origin of this Harlequin Paperweight
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2007, 05:28:33 PM »
Here is a picture of a Harlequin weight made by Salvador Ysart - possibly late 1930's - note the different in style of the bubbles but it would seem to indicate Salvador used the harlequin design before Paul



What is also interesting is this Vasart paperweight made by one of the Ysart's in the late 40's or early 50's which also features the harlequin bubble design so was it a family thing ?



Dave

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Offline KevinH

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Re: Origin of this Harlequin Paperweight
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2007, 01:24:57 PM »
I have to admit that I don't know for sure who may have made Ronnie's weight, or even where it was made.

The colours of the glass chips, the overall shape and the base finish are all very much like those seen in various badge weights, often attributed to Paul Ysart, but for which some doubt is still recognised. If there had been a thin white "base" on which the coloured chips were set, I would have said it was by Paul Ysart. But without the thin white, it falls into the category of so many of the badge weights - it may have been by Paul, but perhaps as a quick and simple "beer money" item.

The fact that this weight has six peripheral bubbles does tie in with work by Paul. Many of the European examples use five outer bubbles. I have not seen any PY examples that have five outer bubbles, but there are European ones that have six (and other numbers) and Paul certainly made them with other than six (I know of four and eight)! So we cannot be absolutely sure about these things.

Dave's comments are interesting, but I don't agree with the conclusion that "... it would seem to indicate Salvador used the harlequin design before Paul."

Yes, it could well be true (but it's never been proven) that Salvador made some weights in the 1930s [or even in the 1920s??]. But Dave's comment: " ... made by Salvador Ysart - possibly late 1930's ...", cannot be taken to indicate use of a design feature before Paul. After all, Paul began his full interest in paperweight making in 1932 and Salvador was against it. Even if Salvador did make some weights in "the late 1930s", why would that suggest that Paul had not already made Harlequin items in the several years bfore?

I agree that Harelquin-style weights (using the central and peripheral bubbles) could possibly have been made by any of the Ysart men. But I think that the concept was not an Ysart idea - it had been used in Europe for many years before the Ysart family began doing their own thing. See the book by Peter Von Brakel on European weights of this type.
KevinH

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Offline zidori

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Re: Origin of this Harlequin Paperweight
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2007, 04:17:32 PM »
Thank you both for the information. It is certainly of similar quality to the Paul Ysart one I have but the  glass of this latest one is darker than the Ysart one.
Ronnie

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