Topic: Does anyone know who the maker is?

[Simone]

I have this lovely paperweight but haven't a clue as to the maker.
I've put a couple of links so that you can see what it looks like.

http://www.graphix4you.com/paperweights/2.jpg

http://www.graphix4you.com/paperweights/1.jpg

Here's a picture of the base of the weight. It's not polished and looks unfinished, with an almost frosted effect if you know what I mean.

http://www.graphix4you.com/paperweights/3.jpg

[KevinH]

Looks like Scottish to me.

I don't think it's from any of the Ysart family but the canes and the working do appear to be of Ysart influence. I don't recognise that type of base finish and I don't recognise the white cane at the centre of the flower, either.

The garland of canes seem to be a bit too tightly set and possibly this explains the squashing of those canes on the inside with some parts being obviously out of keeping with the rest.

Perhaps it was by somebody at Caithness? Or maybe from Peter or Andrew Holmes? (Peter Holmes makes canes that are very much like Paul Ysart's and it is sometimes very difficult to tell them apart.) Or how about from John Deacons' studio??

But I would have expected any of these later Scottish makers to have signed it in some way - unless it was considered to be a non-saleable seconds item!

How long have you had this weight, Simone? Do you have any other information about it?

[Simone]

Hi Kev,

It's surprising that it's Scottish, but maybe it could've been made by a trainee.

I got it from Ebay because it looked interesting and the flower canes quite well made, but no idea of it's history.

Thanks for the info.

[RAY]

caithness do not polish there base's now on second's so it could be

[ALLAN]

Hi there,
            I can't help on the maker I am afraid but the base looks the same as bases we used to have originally at caithness and at the start of the Jay-Glass era.What you see is the effect left after the first grinding stage using a flat steel wheel with carborundum trickled on to it with water.The system basically roughly ripped the glass off the base and then the weight would go through various smoother wheels and polishes untill the glass was back to clear.The process was long and uneconomical so at Caithness we moved on to very expensive but faster diamond abrasive wheels which gives a much smoother first cut,like the ones you now see on the Caithness seconds.This weight looks like whoever it was decided that it was not good enough to carry on with the rest of the polishing process.Hope this helps a bit with some information.
                            Allan

[mjr]

Simone

See this link to ebay item. Its the same weight and it turns out to be Caithness Heather. If you look at the picture in Charlton you wouldn't guess though.

Seems the one you had was not for issue but is not marked as second.