Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: tropdevin on May 11, 2010, 09:15:14 PM
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I know I have seen something like this strange piece (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5574631383&toolid=10001&campid=5336261829&customid=&icep_item=300425611094&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) in an article a few years ago, I think described as a candle holder. The canes look rather like Ysart Bros / Vasart to me.
Anyone got any thoughts on purpose or maker?
Alan
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Because the eBay item will not remain in view, I have added a photo of another of these "stange items" below so we can hang on to this post for future reference. In a meeting of the Cambridge Paperweight Circle, September 2003, Bob Hall showed the item I have pictured below (*). A panel of members in an ID clinic could not identify it or suggest a purpose. I confirmed that the canes were early Ysart (and I suspect these items were made in the Ysart Brothers years, but could have been pre-war Moncrieff). I also suggested the function of "candle holder" and later Bob tried this out and said it worked very well.
In the eBay listing, an eBay member comment was posted which doubted the idea of a candle holder on the grounds that dripping wax would obscure the decoration. But "Pin Dishes" and "Ash Trays" with millefiori bases would have the same "obscuring" problem when in use. I do not think that the Ysart men would have been too concerned about wax running down the weight section of a "candle holder". If the owner wanted to see the decoration then the item could be cleaned up to whatever degree suited.
However, I would be interested to hear of other ideas for the use of these rather unsual "saucer weights".
(*) Edited for correction - the one shown below is not the one I originally saw. Please read on for correct information.
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A good quality candle out of a draught shouldn't dribble much anyway. Isn't the point to have something that looks good when not in use as well.
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This looks very familiar!!!
In a meeting of the Cambridge Paperweight Circle, September 2003, Bob Hall showed the item I have pictured below.
Not this one! I remember around that time that there was a grey one about and I think Bob had it for sale on his website for a while. It may even have been this one. You need to check with Bob what he did with it.
This one is safely tucked away up north!
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Ooops! Loks like I have my reference pics mixed up. :spls:
OK to leave the better looking one in this post??
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Kevin.
No problem. You can do what you like with any of photos that you have of mine. In fact, its a long time since you had some off me so I will sort you out an update (now that my daughter has a decent camera)
I remember when Bob had the grey one on his site. I think I enquired about it but for some reason it wasnt available - it might have already been sold.
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Thanks Martin. I wil try to find my pics of Bob's example. ;D
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I bought one of these from Bob Hall a few years ago. It's not grey though, it's very colorful (I don't know how to post a picture). If I remember correctly, it was listed at the time as one of only two known. I have now seen four: the one on Ebay, mine, the one pictured by KevH, and one at last year's PCA Conference in Toledo (which baffled the ID clinic panel). Anybody else have one?
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So thats where it went. Would love to see the picture. I cant remember what it looked like but I thought grey - in that that was the colour of the glass - mine as pictured by Kevin above has a distinct pink tinge to the glass, but all of them have very loud canes.
Antonia - was it you that posted the comment on the ebay item Q&A that claimed ownership of one or is that another person.
Kevin - I assume you are asking the seller of this one for use of the image so we can see comparisons! And if the questioner on the ebay item was not Antonia, then you may want to ask in your email to the seller if you can be put in contact with that person.
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I was the Ebay poster who wrote to the seller, I confess (I felt a little stupid about my dripping wax comment). And you're right, the glass of my "candle holder" is grey. My husband is taking pictures of it now, and I'll try to post it here. So that's four of these things that we know of.
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Here's the picture.
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These appear to me to be match-strikers. Have a look at this web-site:
http://tobaccoantiques.com/cgi-bin/imcart/display.cgi?cat=2
You'll see a ceramic example on Page 1 at the bottom right-hand corner; Item No: 2231, by Carlton Ware. The striker on top and the dish for the spent matches below.
Match-strikers used to work in the days of more volatile non-safety matches but obviously those with an abrasive surface worked best. Most glass examples have a threaded surface and worked reasonably well, however the examples in question probably did not work quite so well and in view of this were not made in great numbers.
It used to be quite possible to light a match by running it over a piece of glass, the heat of the friction used to be enough to do it.
Nicholas
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I doubt these are match strikers, because true match strikers (always??) have a section in which the matches are stored ready for use - and these "saucer weights" have no such section.
However the similarity of the general shape of the Carlton Ware item in the linked website is noteworthy.
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For confirmation, the one that I commented on back in 2003, when Bob Hall first showed it at a CPC meeting, is indeed the one that Antonia now has.
I cannot find my original photos but I located two small images I used for a "Mystery Item" section in a former version of the CPC website. See below for the two images - which (hopefully) clearly show the grey colour of the clear glass.
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You're absolutely right, KevH.
Working from the first three photos alone I thought that there was a cavity on the top in which to store the matches, however on looking at the last photograph posted I can now see that it is a circular facet.
There doesn't appear to be a smiley to indicate short-sightedness!!
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about time we resurrected this thread as we have another to add to this little collection
A variation on the saucer. This one does not have a saucer. The base is bevelled at a slight angle as if it to fit into something. The bevel is roughly ground and polished.
So maybe it had a saucer. Anyway, grey glass, same size as the other saucer weights, and flat top.
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I think this latest one was sold through auction last year and I was seriously thinking about trying for it but then decided not to.
Martin's photo of the underside clearly shows the grinding to the outer edge of the "foot". To me it looks very much like a repair job to a broken saucer section, which would have been just like the other few examples we know about.
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Hi Kevin
yes it was at auction - in a mixed lot. Thanks for not bidding ;D It was a reasonable price in the end. I agree that it probably had a saucer that was removed, possible as it was damaged. The fact that the base is bevelled might suggest that it was done to fit into something - maybe a newel post
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I just wanted to add to this thread that I have a one of these Vasart millefiori items only mine
is on a pedestal rather then a saucer.
:)
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Did you get this at auction about 2 years ago?? I have an image of one with the canes sitting on a beige/flesh coloured base that was sold in June 2011. However I cannot put that on here as I do not have permission. It would be interesting if you could submit an images
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As Martin says, pics here would good.
Sounds like a mantel ornament (also called a "wig stand" by some folk) like the one shown below. Mine is 7.5 inch (19 cm) high and 3.5 inch (9 cm) diameter at the dome section. There is a flat (barely concave) polished area to the top but this seems to be a regular cleaning up after the pontil rod was removed following application of the stem and foot. The polished area is not of a shape or size that would easily accommodate a candle in the way the "saucer weights" can.
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Just adding photos of one I picked up yesterday just in case nobody picked up on the new thread I started.
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Dear All,
another saucer weight to add to your Vasart gene/knowledge pool. :)
Kind Regards
Andrew
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Thanks Andrew. I wonder how many of these were actually made?