Topic: P Ysart weight date

[Roger H]

   Hi again,hope this is interesting to you all. Bought a PY weight and feel it to be a 1930s made, diameter is 2.9 inches. What do you think? Regards Roger.

[KevinH]

I suspect 1950s may be a better bet. But, it could still be 1930s or mid to late 40s.

Needs a couple of more photos for more clues: a) straight on side view and b) angled view of the whole base to show the general finish and details of any pontil mark.

Also, is there any tint to the dome or is it truly clear?

[Roger H]

      Hi ,one of the base angled photo, the glass itself has a grey tinge, not clear. Roger.

[KevinH]

Thanks for the base photo, Roger.

Unfortunately, the crunchy pontil scar is one of those that I regard as neither one thing nor another! I have a few weights with a distinctly smaller ("button" style) pontil mark, with and without "crunchy" parts and I think they are 1950s weights. But yours does not fit with what I was hoping to see to be able to say it was likely to be 1950s.

It may be a pre-war weight as the canes have a less-crisp look to them than is seen in many post-war items. The "grey" tint would also fit, but later weights (pre-Caithness period) often have a greyness when compared with Caithness & Harland period ones. A jasper ground is known in some weights from the 30s but usually it is a feature of later weights.

So, for me, it is an interesting item which cannot be easily pinned down to pre- or post-war, but I suspect it is very likely pre-Caithness.

[Roger H]

    Hi Kevin,thats got you thinking hasn't it, me too,the price was OK whatever it is and my wife loves the colour combination (main consideration of course or I wouldn't have bought it, ha ha). One more photo. Guess I may have to purchase the Paul Ysart reference book to do a bit more personal study. Thanks for the research. Regards Roger

[KevinH]

Thanks for the profile view. Just like the other visual clues, this shows that it could, in fact, be any time pre-Caithness period, but perhaps not earlier 30s. However, my initial guess would be still be 50s and then work on it from there!

... thats got you thinking hasn't it  ...

Yes, and that's one of the reasons I became drawn to Paul Ysart's work - there seems to be no end of slight variations on general themes and occasionally something will come to light that either ties other things together or creates another fascinating line of possible research.

my wife loves the colour combination

That's another reason for my PY focus - I think his overall colour palette and colour balance in individual weights is hard to beat. The older weights may look dull to some folk but to me they have a tranquility that I do not find with modern weights where bright and often "feminine" colours are used. With even the brightest of later PY weights there is (with few exceptions) still a calmness of colour balance.

Guess I may have to purchase the Paul Ysart reference book ...

Well worth the cost, if you can find one. But an alternative starting point, with some quite detailed information on ages, types, cane comparions, and so on, is available for free on the web! Click here to view.

[Roger H]

 Hi Kevin,been away for a couple of days chilling out in the old motorhome. Have taken note of the website reference and will peruse after work today. Thanks a lot for the info in general it helps us all to aquire a better knowledge on our interest as collectors of super artistic interpretation into glass. Regards Roger.