Topic: Would you call this lower quality millefiori? ID = Modern Chinese

[cubby01]

I really should clean my eye glasses I think.  This was an auction buy.  Looking at it now, seeing the bubbles and overall 'blandness' of it I'm thinking the auctioneer got the better deal.  Wouldn't hurt my feelings if someone told me this was Whitefriars or Murano but I'm guessing it is more recent Chinese in origin?

Measures 2-3/4" wide, 2-1/2" tall.

Thanks,

[Lustrousstone]

Look Chinese to me.

[chopin-liszt]

Me too. The 3rd pic, with the lengths of the canes showing is an absolute clincher.

[cubby01]

Thank you both.  That's enough confirmation for me.   Now just to figure out a way to convince my wife it was her hand that went up during the auction LOL, 

[chopin-liszt]

Do you like it?
Chinese weights do have appeal and a collector base.

[tropdevin]

***

I agree - it is Chinese, and fairly modern.  And I agree about collector appeal: we have around 50 Chinese Whites, and another 50 or so millefiori and lampwork examples, mainly pre-1950. It is interesting to note that Larry Selman said some time ago that some US dealers collected Chinese paperweights for their private collections.

There are some paperweight collectors who consider any Chinese paperweight whatsoever the lowest form of product, but I think that reflects their ignorance and (political) prejudice.  Yes - there are some very modest Chinese copies of classical paperweights, and huge volumes of modern, very simple pieces made for export (and sometimes marketed as Murano), but if you look at the wide range of Chinese paperweights with an open mind, you will find in there some skilfully made and original pieces.

Alan

[cubby01]

Do you like it?
Chinese weights do have appeal and a collector base.

In this case it's more disappointment in my own paying attention.   There was a table of about 15 pwts, two of which I was interested in.  I bought this one by mistake from across the room thinking it was one of the ones I wanted.   I got the first one I wanted and someone else got the second one I wanted.   I'm not really fond of it so it will probably get traded off instead of adding to my small collection.

Regarding Chinese paperweights and glass in general...  I've seen some beautiful work recently.  Many I have been surprised to turn over to find a 'Made in China' sticker.   Somewhere this story was related to me. --  For years and years China mass produced really inferior violins, but as time went along they started producing better and taking more market in student instruments.  After year and years some really good craftsmen were being developed and learning from the best outside China.  Now China is producing the vast majority of violins sold today and have makers capable of top quality as well.  --  In a way I think this parallels their glass work;  there is still a lot that is average, bland, and lacking any artfulness but there is a growing body of high quality beautifully made glass.   

Alan, I will have to look more into some of the older glass from China.  I must admit it's not something I've considered before.