Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: Nick77 on September 13, 2012, 11:56:48 AM
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I have recently acquired this beautiful magnum sized Selkirk paperweight. It is engraved to the base "Selkirk Glass Scotland 1992 1/1 made by William Lowery" it is 80mm diameter at the widest point, 110mm tall and weighs 910g.
I have had a number of Selkirk weights but this is the first 1 off I have seen, there does not seem to be much info about Selkirk about, I cannot find anything about William Lowery and this is the first time I have come across the name, also were many one offs made by Selkirk?
Many thanks
Nick
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..., there does not seem to be much info about Selkirk about, I cannot find anything about William Lowery ...
Correct - not much on Selkirk online: it is my next project, and consequently I would very much appreciate if you'd allow me to use your images of this one-off weight, which will not show up in the catalogues. I cannot tell you, however, how common one-offs were for Selkirk.
Now on the artists: they are named in the catalogues from 1990 to 2004 (last full catalogue) with the exception of Chris Dodds (for his non-paperweight designs). Only in 1999 to 2002, however, certain paperweights were attributed to individual artists.
The artists I find mentioned (apart from Peter Holmes, of course) are:
Chris Dodds 1988-1993
David McGregor 1990-2004
James Brown 1990-2001
William Lowery 1990-1998
Philip Holmes 1991-2002
Martin Coyle 1994-2004
Kenneth Scott 1996-2003
James McBeath 1998 only
McDiarmid Fiona 2002-2004
So William Lowery had left by 1999, when designs were first attributed to individual artists - but 2 of his older designs were still in production and listed: Tiger Lily and Windswept (both in several colourways).
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Many thanks for the info Wolf, you are more than welcome to use the images, I can send you the higher res. originals or take some more before I sell it if you want them with a different angle/background etc.
Nick
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Thank you very much, Nick.
Images are fine - but high resolution versions would be even better: I have sent you a short note, so you have my mail address for this purpose.
Best regards - Wolf
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I did not win the particular lot at Peter Wilson with this weight, along with the Perthshire posted earlier and the Strathearn flower, but I have won several auction lots before with one or more Selkirk 1 of 1 in them. I do not know how many were made, but quite a few!
Alan
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Hi Alan
Thought you may have been bidding, did you by any chance get the Clichy and old English (Bachus?) at Fellows recently?
Nick
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Hi Nick.
No - the Fellows lot went for more than I thought they were worth, as I don't believe it was a Bacchus, and the Clichy had a big bruise.
It was an interesting Old English, but the profile of the head canes looked wrong for Bacchus: they were more like the profile that turns up occasionally in Richardson weights (though I don't think the weight was a Richardson piece, either! There were lots of glass factories around Birmingham and Stourbridge that probably had a go at making some paperweights, perhaps buying in the canes).
Alan
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They certainly went for more than I thought, or would pay.
I went to view these and didn't think the bruise was too bad and would have polished out OK, wasn't 100% sure if the other was Bachus or not but it was a nice weight albeit needing re polishing.
Nick
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Oh I do hope one of you sees this reply.
I have been looking online for paperweights made my my uncle Billy.... Yes, William Lowery! Billy left selkirk glass in 1999,after developing a tumour on the brain. Sadly he passed a few months later.
Billy first worked in Oban Glassworks in the late 70s/early 80s before moving to Selkirk when he got a job there. He loved glassblowing, it was his passion, and his creations showed it.
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Hi Claire. I have never seen another Selkirk signed William Lowery, so they are very uncommon. Worth asking on the Facebook Group 'Paperweight Heaven' too.
Alan
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Hello Claire! Perhaps you may be able to help with another mystery we have?
I had a piece of Oban Glass, unmarked, but I was told it was made there by a German girl who worked there. You wouldn't happen to know her name or anything about her, would you?
The person who now owns the vase is desperate to know who made such a beautiful thing.
Her work should not be unrecognised. Images and info so far, in this link.
http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=16:glass-makers-a-c&id=26:unknown-artist-germanoban
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Wow! That is a beautiful vase! I don't live in Oban anymore, however, I have a contact who worked there for many years. I'm sure he'll remember a German lass if she was there at the same time. Leave it with me and I'll make enquiries 😊
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It is lampwork - very thin and fine glass, but very robust. Frank Andrews, who runs the Scotland's Glass website there is now the owner.
It was made in Scotland, so it needs to be properly catalogued and the artist named and recognised. ;D
Thank-you so much for offering to ask. :)
Apologies to all for taking this thread off-topic. :-[