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Author Topic: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please  (Read 11463 times)

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Offline Sach

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2011, 02:57:13 PM »
I've also seen these tall pedestal weights described in some older books as wig stands.


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Offline tropdevin

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #11 on: December 25, 2011, 03:57:00 PM »
***

I've seen that description too, Sach, in more than one book.  I think it was probably based on ignorance rather than understanding: a relatively tall, top heavy, thin glass stemmed stand would be completely impractical for keeping your wig on!

I don't know who first came up with the term, but it is typical of the problems you find in books about paperweights (and no doubt other things too...).  Someone has an idea or theory, and twenty years on another author quotes it without qualifying it; another twenty years later it has become fact. Then it takes ages to unpick the nonsense.  You only have to look at online sources like 'Hobbizine' to find out of date rubbish being repeated as if the author were an authority, rather than a fool.  I have had one person quote Hobbizine to me as an authority for why their paperweights was an antique Saint-Louis (when the rest of us would have called it modern Chinese).

Here is an example extract about Old English paperweights from Hobbizine:

White Friars, formally known as the James Powell Glass Works, was founded in 1680 outside of London, England. When the factory first began, only flint glass was made but after 1845, a much finer sand was used to make higher quality glassware. White Friars millefiori canes were Victorian in design and became commercially popular after being shown at the 1851 London Exhibition. As with other English glass companies like Bristol and Stourbridge, French glassmakers were initially employed at British glass factories to hand down the art of making glass paperweights. White Friars continued manufacturing glassware and paperweights until 1980 when they closed.

So... it would be a good start to get the name of Whitefriars correct ....then to be aware that there is no evidence for Whitefriars paperweights before the 1930s...then to recognise that Bristol and Stourbridge are towns, not factories....and to be aware that there are no antique paperweights from Bristol...and as for finer sand improving flint glass, I have no idea what the author is getting at.

And regarding 'Bristol' paperweights, the Hobbizine author describes one as 'A paperweight has a purple and yellow pansy with green leaves, all in lampwork. A star millefiori cane is in the center of the pansy.'

Never mind...we live and learn...well, most of us try to...

Alan


Alan  (The Paperweight People  https://www.pwts.co.uk)

"There are two rules for ultimate success in life. Number 1: Never tell everything you know."

The comments in this posting reflect the opinion of the author, Alan Thornton, and not that of the owners, administrators or moderators of this board. Comments are copyright Alan Thornton.

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Offline flying free

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2011, 09:57:23 AM »
thank you once again for the further additional information, and Wuff for your additional explanation  :)
There does not appear to be many of these around at all, despite using all the key words given to search for them
 :-\
Are they not collectable?  I only managed to find references to Murano versions on this board really, and I cannot be totally sure of the attributions of the others I found which seemed mostly to be described simply as French (or Millville which I did find information on) apart from the one I linked to which was more specific.
I have worked out that mine has an 'inverted baluster' stem it seems ;D but that apart still only that one link id'd as Meisenthal.  I will have to request some books via the library system I think.
with kind regards
m

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Offline Wuff

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #13 on: December 26, 2011, 10:10:55 AM »
I will have to request some books via the library system I think.

Peter von Brackel's book has already been mentioned by KevinH - that's the one to look for.

BTW - I find them very collectable :) ... here's one of mine, consisting of a stem with interchangeable ball (though I have only this one):
Wolf Seelentag, St.Gallen
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Offline tropdevin

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #14 on: December 26, 2011, 10:32:42 AM »
***

I have seen quite a few of these on eBay in the last couple of years, usually being sold from Belgium or France.  I think many were made in Alsace and Belgium, as well as in Germany / Bohemia.

I don't think that they are the most popular paperweight-related item for many collectors, but they are certainly 'collectable', IMHO, and I have seen some on offer in antique shops in France and Belgium with serious prices.

Alan
Alan  (The Paperweight People  https://www.pwts.co.uk)

"There are two rules for ultimate success in life. Number 1: Never tell everything you know."

The comments in this posting reflect the opinion of the author, Alan Thornton, and not that of the owners, administrators or moderators of this board. Comments are copyright Alan Thornton.

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Offline flying free

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #15 on: December 27, 2011, 04:19:38 PM »
thanks :) I like them - they appeal to me.  I love yours with the interchangeable pedestal Wuff and I shall now look out for the book recommended  :sun:
m

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Offline flying free

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #16 on: September 27, 2014, 12:52:09 AM »
I came across this quite by accident.
I don't suppose Vierzon might be  possibility for the maker of my pedestal might it?
http://webmuseo.com/ws/musee-vierzon/app/collection/record/30?expo=5&index=17
m

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Offline SophieB

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #17 on: September 27, 2014, 05:30:23 PM »
Hi there,

Well, we learn something everyday: I had no idea that Vierzon had had a glass factory in the past... We have a house a few miles away from there and I never knew about it (even though my family has been in the region for 600 years!!!)...

Many thanks for this information. I will make a point of visiting the museum next time I am there.

SophieB

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Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #18 on: September 27, 2014, 07:02:46 PM »
Several glassworks according to the translation http://webmuseo.com/ws/musee-vierzon/app/collection/expo/3
Here is the museum's glass collection page 1 and page 2

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Offline SophieB

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Re: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please
« Reply #19 on: September 27, 2014, 07:22:43 PM »
Many thanks for this, Christine. A really nice collection.

SophieB

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