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Author Topic: Caithness/Whitefriars in 1980 ?  (Read 1900 times)

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Offline Wuff

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Caithness/Whitefriars in 1980 ?
« on: January 25, 2008, 06:33:38 PM »
Right now there is an interesting weight on offer at ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.ch/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180208515841

It contains a 1980 Whitefriars (monk) cane. To my knowledge Caithness bought the Whitefriars name in 1981, at least the first "Whitefriars" weights in the Charlton catalogue are dated 1981.

But then there were quite a few other paperweights produced during the early 1980ies, with the dated monk cane, not mentioned in the Charlton catalogue, including the "mini butterfly" described by Allan Scott somewhere else: these weights were (at first) produced at John Deacons' studio on behalf of Caithness (who didn't have the capacity at the time to do it themselves). These weights started in 1982.

What puzzles me: the above 1980 paperweight is using exactly the same white/pink canes made by Harry McKay for the "mini butterfly". Does that imply that already in 1980 Deacons/Caithness produced "Whitefriars" paperweights - or did they inherit some old dated monk canes and used them later - or ... ?
Wolf Seelentag, St.Gallen
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Offline daveweight

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Re: Caithness/Whitefriars in 1980 ?
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2008, 05:32:18 PM »
Hi Wolf
The Whitefriars glassworks did not close until October 1980 so there were many weights made with the Whitefriars monk 1980 cane. The large Owl and Bee weights were not issued until 1980 and although these were intended to be unlimited editions few were made so there are less of these than most Whitefriars limited edition weights. Similarly, the 1980 Christmas Bell was to be a 1000 edition but only 278 were made due to the closure of the glassworks.
There was a lot of glass made that needed cutting and facetting so the factory did not close until early 1981

The weight on ebay is definitely a genuine Whitefriars and you can tell instantly by looking at the cutting as Caithness neveer cut a weight in this style. I have a Whitefriars florette weight cut the same way

Caithness bought the Whitefriars name in 1980 and made their first Whitefriars weight in 1981 and I do not think John Deacons made weights for Caithness unilt 1982/3

Hope this helps - best wishes
Dave

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