Topic: ID help

[marc]

Hi, I have found this weight in a local antique dealer, Do you think it is antique?Where is it from ?

Many thanks.
Regards Marc

[Lily of the Valley]

Hi Marc,

I've looked at your weight several times but really do not have a clue.  It does look old, but that may mean very little.  Does anyone think the canes have an Old English look to them?

Lily 

[antiquerose123]

Hi -- have not idea, but can you do a pic with the canes larger so we can see? 

Thanks  :kissy:

[Leni]

I have a little weight which has been described as a possible St Mande (although I am by no means certain  )  The central cane has pink and white tubes which look to me to be quite similar to the cane in this weight  :huh:   

[marc]

Hi, Here there are some new pics of the paperweight.
Many thanks.

Marc.

[tropdevin]

***

Leni - I would go with the 'Old English' attribution rather than St Mandé (I don't think that there are any tubes in Marc's weight - just white rods with coloured surfaces); you are right that weights like yours are usually attributed to St M nowadays, rather than Bohemia, but I think 'unknown French factory' would be safer!

There is the possibility too that Marc's weight could be Belgian.  Looks to me like an early attempt at a paperweight (early in the factory's attempts, or early by the individual worker), and relatively poor glass. 

Marc - can you tell whether it is lead crystal glass?

Alan

[marc]

Hi, and thanks for everything. I'm afraid I don't know how to check it.

Best regards, Marc.

[Sach]

I see no reason not to believe that this weight is modern and simply an early effort by a beginning glassblower.  The design is too simple and the execution to poor to bear any identifying characteristics.  Any attempt to assign a country of origin of other attribution seems unwise.  My only guess is that it seems unlikely that such a weight would have traveled far from its point of origin.

[Leni]

I see no reason not to believe that this weight is modern

Having got my head round the double negative  :ooh:  I feel I disagree with you Sach, although I can't put my finger on exactly why  :pb: 

Alan, thanks for the correction on my weight  I have a few of these little 'Bohemian' / 'St Mande' / 'Early French' / 'Unknown' weights, and never know which ID is 'in vogue' at the moment!     

Although the picture I posted has tubes and Marc's has rods, I just had the idea it had a similar 'feel' about it  :spls:  Some of the canes in my other little 'Bohemian' / 'St Mande' / Early French' weights have solid rods instead of tubes, and there's just something about the construction of that cane in Marc's weight which looked similar in some way.  However, I can see why you say Old English, and agree that it would be a test piece or a beginners attempt. 

I like it - it's cute!