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EstlinClichy's trip tp Venice

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Frank:
A really interesting tale and great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

EstlinClichy:
Chuggy - your colloquialisms make some of your commentary difficult to get a handle on. However, I've already stated my full commentary on Chinese weights and I shan't repeat it.

But, at the risk of slogging along a well-worn trail, the idea that there is "quality" glass coming from China - we're talking about paperweights here - is not a correct statement. Yes, you can cull through 50 new weights from China and find a beauty - good glass, few bubbles, clean lines, fine colors, but my advice stands - new collectors should save their money and go for Scottish weights (past or present), new American weights, some Canadian items (Robert Held, e.g.).

Contemporary Chinese weights will never have profitable resale value. The painted Chinese weights, the clearcut 1930s French imitations have value, but not that high a value, certainly nothing near the true French or good contemporary weights from quality individual makers.

Furthermore, Chinese factory glassmakers are corrupting the marketplace with their imitations and copies of such weightmakers as Tarsitano or Manson. This is disgraceful and true paperweight collectors should not reward piracy. The bottom line is that a Chinese copy of a Tarsitano has no future - it will never appreciate in value. The cheaper Chinese gift weights are colorful baubles, but hardly in a class with anything from Caithness or Perthshire or Trabucco or Kaziun or Stankard or Manson or Orient & Flume or Ysart or Lundberg or Ayotte or Whitefriars, etc.

The message is clear: It's better to buy one good $75 Perthshire paperweight on eBay than spend $75 on four cheesy Chinese weights at your local gift shop.

Anne:
Like some of the others I disagree with your sweeping statement about Chinese weights and whether or not people should collect them. If you do not wish to do that is your prerogative, likewise it is ours to decide to do so if we wish to.

Please remember that everyone on this board has free will and their own opinions, and those may not agree with yours. I certainly do not appreciate anyone telling me what I should or should not do with my own money!

EstlinClichy:
Too many thin-skinned people. Tthe bottom line is this: buying Chinese weights is a waste of money. Any reputable paperweight dealer will tell you that. And it's not because they have good quality weights to sell, it's because limiting oneself to cheesy knock-offs from China (Taiwan) or garrish baubles is to ignore the greatness that is out there in the world of paperweights. There is no greatness in weights coming from China.

People who truly care about paperweights as an art form and a creative endeavor fully understand the difference.

Bernard C:
EstlinClichy — Thanks for your pictures and text, all very interesting and useful.

Janet and I were on Murano last week — we could have met, or sat at adjacent tables munching our pasta.   On Friday morning as we were packing, we realised that we had forgotten to visit Venice!

I am working through 41 pictures, trying to decide whether any could be of interest, and will put anything worthwhile on the long-running topic I started on the Murano forum, Visiting Murano.

Thanks again,

Bernard C.  8)

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