Topic: Bohemian ?

[alexander]

Hi, this one on ebay made me stop and wonder - I would have thought it to be circa 1900/20 Bohemian,
but it has a very dodgy 1845 decal inside. Did Boh. makers also take artistic license with dates? Or is this a real oldie?

Thanks

290268620740

[glasstrufflehunter]

I don't recognize the canes at all. The frit ground looks like stuff I've seen in Murano pieces. The colors look more modern to me. Maybe it's a more modern Boh?

[KevinH]

Peter Von Brackel, in his 1999 book, Paperweights, Historicism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, 1842 to Present shows several similar style weights in pages 40 & 41. They all have the same look, with brightly coloured canes over multi-colour "bits" and a central white plaque. He suggested they were from Thuringia and early 20th century.

So yes, on that evidence I would have said the eBay example was of the same source and period. The 1845 plaque may be unusual but everything about the weight ties in with the others in the book.

It is possible that weights with a "souvenir" type plaque were made on request and that dated examples could have been asked for as a commemoration or similar.

And maybe, if there were enough of those produced (even if we have not seen many in modern times), they could have been an influence for the mid-20th century "false dated" examples from Murano. But that, of course, is just speculation with no evidence - but it's intesting that the date plaque in the eBay weight is very similar to those in the Murano ones. 

[tropdevin]

Hi

I think these weights are turn of the 19th C - early 20th C, and from Germany / Thuringia.  So not quite Boho.  I have seen several, and once had one with an 1845 date, crude 'C' cane and crude Clichy moss cane.  I'll try and find the image of it.

Alan