Glass Message Board

Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: letoulousain on June 05, 2012, 06:32:38 AM

Title: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: letoulousain on June 05, 2012, 06:32:38 AM
it is unmarked. it is about 3.5" wide and 3.4" tall... i see a lot of paperweights referred as sulphide. what does it mean? is this paperweight a sulphide?
thanks for any help, Stephane...
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: Wuff on June 05, 2012, 07:56:14 AM
No - this is not a sulphide ... see here for a short description of the technique (http://exhibits.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/barker/techniques/tech_sulphide.php).
I am not quite sure what to call your example - I guess "simple lampwork" might fit best - but other readers may prove me wrong.

As for the maker: the somewhat irregular base facet reminds me of some Murano overlay mushrooms, so my first bet would be Murano - but no idea which specific studio.
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: letoulousain on June 05, 2012, 10:02:39 PM
thanks for the answer. 1 more question; what makes a paperweight sulphide? thanks, Stephane
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: Wuff on June 05, 2012, 10:51:12 PM
.... what makes a paperweight sulphide?
In French or English?

In English "Sulphide" usually means a ceramic (portrait, animal, ...) enclosed in glass = see above mentioned link.

In French "Sulphide" seems to be often used as synonym for paperweight (presse-papiers) ... but my French is very limited.
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: letoulousain on June 05, 2012, 11:49:21 PM
thanks for the answer again... but it leads me to another question; wouldn't the worm enclosed in this paperweight qualify as sulphide?
then again long ago i had a faceted paperweight, i ran on the ebay forum. i believe it was a clichy or something like that (but newer from the 50s or 60s). i was told it was a sulphide. if i remember the paperweight was floral or millefiori. at that time i thought the facets made it sulphide...
also i am French and i have no idea what it means in french either...
thanks again for the info...
Stephane...
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: KevinH on June 06, 2012, 12:21:25 AM
Hi Stephane, welcome to the Board.

I am sure Wuff will give further comment, but while I am here, I thought I would offer this ...

The French word "sulfure" is believed to be the origin of the English "sulphide" (and also "sulfide" in modern American English). The term was applied to medallions, often depicting famous people, made with moulds using a form of ceramic ("clay" or "plaster"). Usually these were left in the original white or off-white but were sometimes coloured. They were used in a variety of ways but often as decoration to the sides of such as Baccarat decanters and tumblers. They were also used as internal decoration in clear glass paperweights.

In your Murano apple paperweight, the worm is formed from a length of coloured glass which has striping in a contrasting colour. The rod of glass is heated and shaped with tweezers before being set into the clear glass and then covered with more clear. It is not a "sulphide" as it is a piece of hand-shaped glass, rather than being a moulded piece of "clay / plaster" ceramic.

But, yes, in modern times some people do seem to use "sulphide" when referring to what is actually "lampwork" (or "torchwork", for those whose prefer that term).
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: letoulousain on June 06, 2012, 01:10:34 AM
thanks for the info... that tells me i had 2 baccarat paperweights i could have called sulphide in my ebay listings (long ago). 1 with a white portrait of a pope and another with a funny looking white fish... so i get it now, the worm in this paperweight is glass so it is referred as lampwork... i am learning every day... thanks again, Stephane...
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: Wuff on June 06, 2012, 09:13:50 AM
I am sure Wuff will give further comment, ...
Well, Kevin, you haven't left much for me to comment ::).
The problem when talking about paperweights (or other glass) is that different people may mean different things with the same word, e.g. sulphide. For me a sulphide is encased ceramic - whilst, as Kevin said, others may include other paperweights as well - whether in French or English.
In this sense the term sulphide is not the only problem, there are many others, latticino comes to mind - for which you can also find quite different definitions (I am pretty sure, these have been discussed on this board already).

Quote
...i had 2 baccarat paperweights i could have called sulphide in my ebay listings (long ago). 1 with a white portrait of a pope and another with a funny looking white fish...
Yes - these are what I call sulphides. The fish will likely have been from their zodiac series.
Title: Re: Help ID maker faceted glass paperweight Apple with worm
Post by: Wuff on June 06, 2012, 08:40:49 PM
.... The fish will likely have been from their zodiac series.
I just happened to come across an image of a Baccarat Pisces weight:
http://www.icollector.com/274-Baccarat-Pisces-Zodiac-Paperweight_i1284901