Topic: Strange paperweight item

[tropdevin]

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I know I have seen something like this strange piece in an article a few years ago, I think described as a candle holder.  The canes look rather like Ysart Bros / Vasart to me.

Anyone got any thoughts on purpose or maker?

Alan

[KevinH]

Because the eBay item will not remain in view, I have added a photo of another of these "stange items" below so we can hang on to this post for future reference. In a meeting of the Cambridge Paperweight Circle, September 2003, Bob Hall showed the item I have pictured below (*). A panel of members in an ID clinic could not identify it or suggest a purpose. I confirmed that the canes were early Ysart (and I suspect these items were made in the Ysart Brothers years, but could have been pre-war Moncrieff). I also suggested the function of "candle holder" and later Bob tried this out and said it worked very well.

In the eBay listing, an eBay member comment was posted which doubted the idea of a candle holder on the grounds that dripping wax would obscure the decoration. But "Pin Dishes" and "Ash Trays" with millefiori bases would have the same "obscuring" problem when in use. I do not think that the Ysart men would have been too concerned about wax running down the weight section of a "candle holder". If the owner wanted to see the decoration then the item could be cleaned up to whatever degree suited.

However, I would be interested to hear of other ideas for the use of these rather unsual "saucer weights".

(*) Edited for correction - the one shown below is not the one I originally saw. Please read on for correct information.

[Lustrousstone]

A good quality candle out of a draught shouldn't dribble much anyway. Isn't the point to have something that looks good when not in use as well.

[mjr]

This looks very familiar!!!

In a meeting of the Cambridge Paperweight Circle, September 2003, Bob Hall showed the item I have pictured below.

Not this one!  I remember around that time that there was a grey one about and I think Bob had it for sale on his website for a while.  It may even have been this one. You need to check with Bob what he did with it.

This one is safely tucked away up north!

[KevinH]

Ooops! Loks like I have my reference pics mixed up. :spls:

OK to leave the better looking one in this post??

[mjr]

Kevin.

No problem.  You can do what you like with any of photos that you have of mine. In fact, its a long time since you had some off me so I will sort you out an update (now that my daughter has a decent camera)

I remember when Bob had the grey one on his site. I think I enquired about it but for some reason it wasnt available - it might have already been sold.

[KevinH]

Thanks Martin. I wil try to find my pics of Bob's example.

[Antonia]

I bought one of these from Bob Hall a few years ago.  It's not grey though, it's very colorful (I don't know how to post a picture). If I remember correctly, it was listed at the time as one of only two known. I have now seen four: the one on Ebay, mine, the one pictured by KevH, and one at last year's PCA Conference in Toledo (which baffled the ID clinic panel). Anybody else have one?

[mjr]

So thats where it went. Would love to see the picture.  I cant remember what it looked like but I thought grey - in that that was the colour of the glass - mine as pictured by Kevin above has a distinct pink tinge to the glass, but all of them have very loud canes.  
Antonia - was it you that posted the comment on the ebay item  Q&A that claimed ownership of one or is that another person.

Kevin - I assume you are asking the seller of this one for use of the image so we can see comparisons! And if the questioner on the ebay item was not Antonia, then you may want to ask in your email to the seller if you can be put in contact with that person.

[Antonia]

I was the Ebay poster who wrote to the seller, I confess (I felt a little stupid about my dripping wax comment).  And you're right, the glass of my "candle holder" is grey. My husband is taking pictures of it now, and I'll try to post it here. So that's four of these things that we know of.