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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: Roger H on February 16, 2011, 09:50:49 PM

Title: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Roger H on February 16, 2011, 09:50:49 PM
Hi everyone,had this John Deacons weight for some time but have always considered the butterfly to be made by Willie Manson,any thoughts. Roger.
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Derek on February 17, 2011, 09:46:01 PM
Hi Roger

I too have a Red Admiral weight (see attached) from John Deacons and like you don't believe the lampwork was made by JD.

However, I don't think its Willie Manson either, I think its by Dunc Smith who was the chief lampworker at Perthshire for 23 years up to their closure. His lampwork is more naturalistic than Willie's and I know he has done lampwork for JD in the past. He now runs a small business selling his lampwork mounted on agate slices check it out at dsglasscraft(dot)com he has several examples of red admirals there and they are VERY similar to the ones in the JD weights.

Best regards

Derek
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Roger H on February 18, 2011, 08:02:35 PM
    That makes a lot of sense, thank you. Had thought of selling the Red Admiral but my wife says she loves the butterfly. Unless of course I can buy her another weight she likes to replace it then maybe she wouldn't notice!! How about this one,another in my collection. JD weight, WM flowers and ladybird, JD dragonfly??????? Sorry the photo is not too good I had to take a hurried lower kilobyte photo to upload. Regards Roger.
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Derek on February 18, 2011, 08:33:10 PM
Hi Roger

Willie makes great ladybirds - I have a couple of his weights with them in.

I suspect that the dragonfly in your weight is also by Willie Manson he uses
the adventurine body a lot and also the pulled millefiori wings.

Best regards

Derek
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Roger H on February 18, 2011, 11:44:36 PM
         Thank you for the info, wasn't sure about the dragonfly ID. I seem to remember WM working with JD for a while before he set up his present studio.
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Derek on February 19, 2011, 10:31:35 AM
Hi Roger

Yes you are correct, Willie Manson collaborated with JD  on two series of limited edition weights that were called the Strathearn series - I think there were around 8 weights in each series and sold around 2005/2006 . They carried both JD and WM sig canes. Attached are pictures of a couple of the weights.

However JD has used lampwork from many sources at other times but the weights have always appeared with just the JD cane. Willie Manson, Allan Scott, Dunc Smith and Rosette Fleming are some who have produced lampwork for JD that has been incorporated into
weights signed with just a JD cane.

Derek
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Roger H on February 21, 2011, 11:44:44 AM
      Thank you for the info, interesting how many of the scottish weight makers intereact at times. Just purchased a beautiful Peter Holmes new weight,father and son are making good stuff. Regards Roger.
Title: Re: Glass Paperweight ID
Post by: Derek on February 21, 2011, 12:14:38 PM
Hi Roger

Its not just the Scots - Paul Stankard who is arguably the best lampworker in the USA is famous for his root people - except he didn't many of them! 

Most were made by Jim D'onofrio.

Regards

Derek