Flower Pot Paperweight- ID Needed, Country of Origin, Age

[thibs23]

Hi again,

Hoping for a little assistance in identifying this paperweight.  I was told that it has some age simply from the wear on the bottom of the base.  Any information whatsoever would be very helpful.

Zach

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/thibs23/IMG_1996.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/thibs23/IMG_1997.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/thibs23/IMG_1998.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/thibs23/IMG_1999.jpg)

[tropdevin]

***

A very odd one.  Everything from the top of the leaves down could be modern Chinese (a bit of emery paper can soon put wear on a base!).  But the millefiori canes used for the flowers remind me a little of some in a paperweight I own, whose maker remains unknown.  My best guess for the canes is 'European, probably pre-1950' - but that does not mean the whole weight is the same age as the millefiori canes, of course: bits of cane can sit on a shelf for many, many years before being used. In what country did you get it?

Alan

[thibs23]

I got it in the US. If it helps its been sitting on my shelf for 20+ years.

[alexander]

The greenish color of the stem reminds me of Robert Hamon's work. The shape would also work as I've seen a variety of shapes from H.

The paperweight gives me the impression that the maker was familiar with lampwork but less so with millefiori as they're quite distorted.

The centre cane appears to have a turquoise color in the midlle that I associate with Old English paperweights, not that this is OE by any stretch.

If held over a fire I'd say this was made by a maker who used canes from another source, as an experimental piece.

[chopin-liszt]

That would make a lot of sense, Alexander - I think the filigree stuff is a bit more sophisticated than the rest of it