Topic: Fountain-type paperweight

[KevinH]

I don't usually comment on live eBay auctions. However, this is one where I sent a message and received a reply. Although the seller says that perhaps I am the one who is mistaken, my personal view is that I still believe the weight is not by Paul Ysart. So for fairness to potential buyers using this board, my comments and the sellers response are shown below.

My comments:
"For informnation, I can confirm that this weight is not by Paul Ysart but is most likely a modern item made in China. Paul Ysart Fountain weights had fewer arms, only a few bubbles in precise places and a thin flat ground. I show some Paul Ysart Fountain weights in my webpage at:
http://www.btinternet.com/~kevh.glass/pages/catalog/py-fountain-harlequin.htm
One has the regualr "H" cane and the other was personally signed by Paul Ysart.
The expert who confirmed the identity for you is mistaken."

The response:
"Hello, the paperweight is certainly not a modern Chinese one. It came from the same source as the other one which I have listed and is a least 20 years old. The person who confirmed its authenticity is an expert so I think that perhaps in this case it is you who are mistaken.
Regards
V"

I suppose I could be wrong about "modern Chinese".
Item no: 260233865150

[Frank]

I also sent him a message. Unbelievable that anyone could mistake that!

[Leni]

I emailed him too!  Crazy!  Some people have no idea! 

[josordoni]

I suppose I could be wrong about "modern Chinese".

I suppose HE could be wrong about who is the expert more like....

 :hb2:

[paperweights]

Look at his other paperweight #260233168136.  That one looks like an Ysart weight, although probably not Paul Ysart.

[KevinH]

The second weight is definitely a Paul Ysart Fountain from the 1970s and by the look of the colours and its shape I'd guess its one from the last couple of years and may originally have had the "Highland Paper Weights" label.

The expert that the seller mentioned had it spot on with that one, but for somebody to then use the rather limited similarities of design to suggest the other was also an Ysart weight was stretching things somewhat!

I think that most folk who know a bit about Ysart weights will recognise what's what and the seller should get a true and fair price for the ok one. But there are still inexperienced buyers of Ysart items who may be drawn in by an incorrect attribution for the other and bid without proper realisation of the facts.

Just my opinions of course - and I am not suggesting the seller is doing anything deliberately misleading, but only that there seems to be a lack of acceptance that something does not ring true when comparing an ok one with the other.

[Sue C]

I saw this weight, and although i am not knowledgable in the field of paperweights, my first thought was Chinese.
My local British Heart Foundation charity shop has a shelf full of similar weights that come in pretty lilac boxes.

BUT!!! i could be wrong.

[Frank]

He slipped up, wrong weight listed. Cancelled that auction and listed this one http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260234332023

[KevinH]

Yep! I had an email confirming the error. Good result.

This other one is what I call a regular Harland type Fountain and could have been made any time in the 70s and may have had a small round or rectangualr "py" label - or no label at all perhaps. I prefer the first real Fountain that the seller listed but this other one should also make a fair price for the type.

[pooleandpaperweights]

While on the subject of PY fountains, there was a lot recently at a Scottish auction which had 12 PY fountains in the same lot, so expect to see a few more than usual coming through!

Ian