Topic: Question about moncrieff factory or scottish paperweight

[love2glow59]

I have a paperweight that I bought about 25 years ago and I was told it was murano. Now, I have been directed to a web site that shows what appears to look like my paperweight (strathearn.smugmug) Under the Scottish paperweight.  One problem, there is a clear old label had never known because of an old sells tag that I have just removed. What letters I can make out:  Ro   s  and in smaller letters  _ _ _ _  MIAME.  I am now puzzled. I always thought it was Murano, It looks like a Scottish piece, but it has this clear label. Can anyone identify this paperweight for me.  It is very heavy for the size and it does have a dull UV glow. I thank you for any help. Oh one other thing, the clear plastic label is oval (small), and the  large R is fancy

[cfosterk]

Hi!

VERY DEFINITELY STRATHEARN!!!!

Very nice paperweight - check Richard More's site (looks like you've got the link).

From memory the design is P3 Sea Urchin - came in a number of sizes and colours. There was one on ebay a while ago that was over 4 inches in diameter! Typical colours are the blue you have or a red/orange. Typically has a veined appearance created by tiny mica 'ribbings' on the urchin, the whole is then captured in a clear glass gather.

I've only ever seen (personally) two strathearn labels - the typical one is blue/white. Left hand side of the rectangular label shows a stylised fish (salmon or trout i think, and white on blue). Text on the label reads STRATHEARN in blue, then HAND MADE IN SCOTLAND in smaller text white on blue.

This ties in with some of the characters that seem to be legible!!

Nice find, all of strathearns abstracts are fantastic!!!!

[cfosterk]

The fish motif by the way looks like a really strange S if the label is indistinct.......

[love2glow59]

Thank you for the fantastic help.  I did look at the label closer. And there does seem to be bits of blue. I trying to get a shot to up load. It appears to say Bohemian the bottom and small print. And the large print does seem to look like an odd "S", however it looks like it said "ROCKES" Or "Rodes".  Thank you again for your time!! :hiclp:

[KevinH]

Just for added confirmation (and to save some folk the time of searching through Richard's superb but very extensive site), here's an identical design weight, size 70mm dia., 58mm height, which has its full label on the base.

The weight
The label
(ignore the letter "S" or number "5" near the top left corner - that was probably added by a collector or dealer as a reference of some sort)

If the part label on love2's weight does not properly match the wording and fish logo as in the label on mine, then somebody has added an incorrect label or it is a form of dealer's reference with misleading info. The Strathearn label can be found in blue, purple and black (and maybe other colours too?).

[love2glow59]

The label is old and I happened to find only after removing an antique dealers shop label. I believe that it pulled the paper part off, leaving the impression that is only seen with the light hitting at the right angle.  Could this be a shipping label?  It does seem that when it was sold to me, 15+ years ago, that there was a label.  They called it Murano. This is the large one 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" and weighing about 3 1/2 lbs.  I want to list it with this correct identity, but should I remove this label? It does not remove easily. 

[cfosterk]

The label looks spurious and unconnected with the weight itself.

It's 100% a strathearn sea urchin.......and it's size is unusual....

[love2glow59]

Hello, Thank you for your time and input! Here are two pictures of Long wave UV of the same paperweight. Would this be a 1950's because of the bright green glow?  I know, with  Murano glass, it can be dated that way. How about with this Strathearn sea urchin piece?

[KevinH]

Would this be a 1950's because of the bright green glow?  I know, with  Murano glass, it can be dated that way.

The Strathearn P3 Sea Urchin cannot be 1950s because Strathearn Glass was not formed until 1964. And these weights have so far only been identified, through catalogue information, as being possibly "pre-1978". Richard More gives a dating of, "Circa for the time being 1965 to 1979" - which seems very reasonale to me, given the lack of more precise evidence.

Regarding UV reactions, lots of glass from lots of periods will glow very bright green under longwave UV. I do not believe it is possible to be sure that a bright green reaction can be used to identify a particular period - of any maker. For example, I have found with weights by Paul Ysart that by using both longwave and shortwave, the work from his three periods (pre-1963, 1963 to 1969/70, and 1970 to 1979) can be separated. But I have yet to agree with any author or collector that his pre- and post-WWII work can be identified by the former being a very bright green. I feel the same about longwave reactions for such as Murano.

Is there any real evidence that 1950s Murano weights glow a brighter green than those from other periods (before or after)? Anybody actually made an analysis of this using many Murano weights from many periods and many makers?

Here's the UV reactions of my (Green) Sea Urchin:
Longwave (pretty much the same green)
Shortwave (typical bright blue of Scottish [and other] weights using a lead-based mix)
Photos taken with UV lamp to one side of weight at distance of 5cm (2 inch). Ambient incandescent room lighting. Camera tripod-mounted and set to auto functioning, no flash.

By the way, in answer to whether the (presumed) non-Strathearn label should be removed, I'd personally leave it on but make sure that it is described as being an unknown label. It may be that later, somebody may recognise the parts that can be seen, or the general shape, and then a better id of whose label it is may come to light, which could be useful for future reference.