Topic: Antique Millefiori Paperweight French Clichy ? 19th century ID help please

[stubbsywubsy]

Hello Everyone,

i recently have came across this charming Millefiori paperweight, it looks to be 19th century.

i was hoping someone could help identify the maker. is it French, Italian or somewhere else?

i am far from an expert, but the canes to me look like some i have had before on Clichy weights but as i said i am far from an expert.
the base has a scrambled effect of colour, also the weight is an unusual shape. it seems to almost "square off" at the "top rim" leaving a flatter top surface rather than a rounded one.
thank you for taking the time to read this
kind regards steven

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  I am pretty sure that it is a German paperweight, probably from Thuringia, late 19th - early 20th century.  The coloured glass fragment ground, flat base, rather irregular design and low dome are fairly typical.  The glass in these is not lead crystal, and is usually of modest quality with lots of tiny bubbles and a noticeable colour cast.

Alan

[bat20]

Yup I'd go with German,I've got one with the multi coloured base,same shape and the canes look very similar,mine 's got the green and yellow canes they used commonly,I love these type of weights and the bohemian ones which were a bit more naively made than the smarter ones they made,I think they have a lot of character and for that matter the early frit weights have a lot about them as well.

[tropdevin]

***

Here are images of a couple of German (probably Thuringian) paperweights, and the base of one of them.

Alan

[stubbsywubsy]

Thank you both so much for your information, are these fairly scarce, i ask because i cannot see much reference to them online.
thanks again
steven

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  Depends what you mean by scarce!  They are much less common than Murano or Chinese paperweights, but I have probably seen 50 or so for sale or at auction over the last 5 years  (there were about 10 in two lots at one of my local auction houses recently).  The lack of references online may be because collectors are not particularly inspired by them.  They are covered quite well in one of Peter von Brackell's books.

Alan

[stubbsywubsy]

Thank you Alan,
yes i know what you mean they are a little less inspiring than others weights i have had before, but there is something very satisfying about an older weight and being able to see the bubbles and workings.

i assume you are an expert on Paperweights, would you mind looking at this thread i started a while back ?
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,58879.msg333175.html#msg333175
any thoughts would be much appreciated.

thank you for all of your information
kind regards steven

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  I would not claim to be an expert! I am reasonably knowledgeable in certain areas though.  I saw the thread to which you refer, and could not shed any light on the maker.  The flat polished base could suggest Murano, but nothing else does really.  The accurate lines of bubbles are an unusual feature, as well as the 'tartan' design.  It reminds me a little of some of the spheres that the American artist Ro Purser makes, but these tend to be more complex. See http://www.ropurser.com/ .

Alan

[stubbsywubsy]

Hello Alan
thank you for your insight, il look into Ro Purser, but as you mentioned mine does not look as complex.

thank you so much for giving your time to this thread
kind regards steven