No-one likes general adverts, and ours hadn't been updated for ages, so we're having a clear-out and a change round to make the new ones useful to you. These new adverts bring in a small amount to help pay for the board and keep it free for you to use, so please do use them whenever you can, Let our links help you find great books on glass or a new piece for your collection. Thank you for supporting the Board.

Author Topic: Vases and Paperweights  (Read 15800 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Frank

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 9508
  • Gender: Male
    • Glass history
    • Europe
    • Gateway
Re: Vases and Paperweights
« Reply #60 on: August 25, 2007, 09:37:12 AM »
I see what you mean, but that would be down to pure chance as that part was made by inserting a tool into the hot glass. There would be no opportunity to engrave letters.

In theory a small piece of white glass could have been prepared with name Monart but the stretching action would have resulted in greater distortion... not impossible to achieve but if the approach had been developed, where are the other examples.

Do you know roughly when your grandfather got this weight? Pre or Post WW2?

Support the Glass Message Board by finding a book via book-seek.com


Offline KevinH

  • Global Moderator
  • Members
  • *
  • Posts: 6545
    • England
Re: Vases and Paperweights
« Reply #61 on: August 25, 2007, 02:56:27 PM »
Just for confirmation, are the "letters" those seen in the second photo, taken in a horizontal view, showing the "stem" below the central air bubble? If so, then I agree with Frank.

This type of "coincidental occurrence" can occur in many situations. Although "M" and "N" shapes do seem to be clear, these and the other "marks" in that area are simply gaps between the white glass.

To add to what Frank has said, this weight has been made with lots of coloured and white glass bits, but probably few, if any, actual "canes". Paul Ysart usually put the coloured and white bits (and often with chips of gold aventurine, too) on a surface, which was formed from powdered white glass. When the tool was inserted to form the bubbles over "legs" / "stems", the powdered white ground gets stretched. If the powdered glass was quite thin in any area, then the stretching will cause gaps to appear, and, in this case, it has given the allusion of "letters".

-------
Having said that, I will now add that I think it is a very good paperweight and it is also less common than many other types. Here is some background information ...

I have two similar weights, one is a double Harlequin (like Henry's mum's) and the other is a Triple Harlequin (as shown here). My Tiple version is much like Henry's mum's in that is has no clearly seen whole or part millefiori canes. But my Double example does have partial canes that are matched to others in Paul Ysart's work.

So far, I have seen about 6 (or less??) of these weights, all being of large (magnum) size and with a smooth polished base. I believe these are from the 1930s period, but they could also have been made post-war, prior to Paul joining Caithness.

At Caithness, Paul made some Double Harlequin weights but when asked by Colin Terris whether a Triple was possible, three were made. This information is still available in one of Colin Terris's websites (although Colin is sadly no longer with us). See this link then click on "Patience Rewarded". Unlike my two and Henry's mum's examples, the Caithness version is much more like the Harlequin types that Paul made at his Harland works in the 1970s, having coloured twists amongst the cane sections and coloured chips.
KevinH

Support the Glass Message Board by finding glass through glass-seek.com


Offline Frank

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 9508
  • Gender: Male
    • Glass history
    • Europe
    • Gateway
Re: Vases and Paperweights
« Reply #62 on: August 25, 2007, 09:05:25 PM »
Could that scarcity just be due to lack of recognition Kevin? Look how rare PY weights were in the 1980's and now there is usually at least one on eBay at any time.

Henryhall I would like to put your images on Scotlands Glass website, I can give you and your mum a credit. You can email me pictures - see envelope to the left for email address.

Support the Glass Message Board by finding a book via book-seek.com


Offline KevinH

  • Global Moderator
  • Members
  • *
  • Posts: 6545
    • England
Re: Vases and Paperweights
« Reply #63 on: August 25, 2007, 11:05:30 PM »
Yes, although currently regarded (by me) as uncommon, lack of recognition will be a factor with these - until now, of course.

It is possible that other examples have been sold on as "Bohemian" since many "bubble and frit" weights were made in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, the Bohemian ones were mainly much less precise than Paul Ysart's, and did not (usually) have the coloured bits set on a ground of any form. So Paul's work would stand out as quite different when seen amongst a collection of Bohemian items.
KevinH

Support the Glass Message Board by finding glass through glass-seek.com


 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk
Visit the Glass Encyclopedia
link to glass encyclopedia
Visit the Online Glass Museum
link to glass museum


This website is provided by Angela Bowey, PO Box 113, Paihia 0247, New Zealand