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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: mmarc77 on June 12, 2012, 02:20:12 AM

Title: Strathearn?
Post by: mmarc77 on June 12, 2012, 02:20:12 AM
Any opinions on this one from the experts? I haven't seen many with this design and assume it's a Strathearn but any info is appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261037252934?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: glasstrufflehunter on June 12, 2012, 02:41:57 AM
The cane bundles look Strathearny as do the colors. It could be super early Perthshire. Never seen that desighn before. I like it.
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: tropdevin on June 12, 2012, 06:21:45 AM
***

I think it is a Vasart weight, given the complex canes and the ground out pontil mark.

Alan
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: mmarc77 on June 13, 2012, 05:41:42 AM
Thanks Alan you are correct. I found the exact same complex canes on a Vasart weight at Richard More's site. Image 11 on page 1 of Vasart Spoke Medium to Small weights. DCP04164YVP8
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: KevinH on June 14, 2012, 04:19:20 PM
When thinking about weights with "Vasart" (or "Ysart") canes, we need to always be aware that such canes were used by several makers from at least the 1940s to the 1980s and beyond!

Therefore, cane matching alone cannot be taken as proof of maker.

For this particular weight, although all of the canes can be linked to several Vasart Ltd items, the way the canes are set and the way the base is finished must also be taken into account. The fact that the base has rough grinding is the best clue that it is not a Strathearn (or later) item.
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: mmarc77 on June 14, 2012, 08:34:48 PM
Thanks Kev. I didn't mention it in my response but your description on your site of an "untidy" rough grinding pontil finish and the cane match on Richard More's site combined was what prompted my response to Alan that I believed it to be Vasart.
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: mmarc77 on June 16, 2012, 03:23:44 AM
Kev,

Can you please explain what you mean and what to look for in a weight when you refer to the "way the canes are set?" Are you looking for a pattern or tightness or tidiness or all of these to identify Vasart or Ysart in addition to canes and pontil finish?

Thanks,

Mike
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: KevinH on June 16, 2012, 06:46:57 PM
For Vasart Ltd, canes are very often set "high" out of the ground, rather than being marvered smoothly into the surface. And very often some of the canes tend to lean one way or another. Also, the setting of the pattern is often not of the best geometric precision. Another feature is that overall the canes can seem to be "spaced apart".

For Strathearn, there appears to be much more control over the spacing of canes and the neatness of the pattern. Although many Strathearn weights have canes set "high" out of the ground, the height is usually not so much as for Vasart Ltd. Some Strathearn weights do have "falling over" canes but this is less often seen and may only have occurred in the first few years of the transition from Vasart Ltd. to Strathearn.

But there are no hard and fast rules. As ever, it comes down to the overall look together with individual details. There are some very neat and very well set Vasart Ltd weights and some Strathearn pieces do look a bit untidy.
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: mmarc77 on June 17, 2012, 06:33:15 AM
Thanks for the explanation Kev that is very helpful.

Mike
Title: Re: Strathearn?
Post by: Derek on June 17, 2012, 11:49:09 AM
Hi all

Some while ago, I spoke to Dave Moir (Ysart Brothers, Vasart and Strathearn) about why  the canes in Vasart weights sit a long way proud of the ground whereas the canes in Strathearn weights sit closer to the ground.

There is a very simple explanation - as usual !  There was no glory hole at Vasart!

Once the setup had been picked up the paperweight had to be reheated at the mouth of the furnace. There is not so much heat here and consequently it was much harder to marver the canes into the ground especially when the other chair was working flat out and wanting
access to the furnace for gathers and to use it as a glory hole.  Strathearn had glory holes and so the weights are better formed.

As Kev says, the setups at Vasart were invariably loose and this coupled with the high canes led to the canes often leaning over as the dome was shaped. At Strathearn with tighter setups and the cane marvered further into the ground, there was less leverage on the canes as the dome was shaped so leaning canes are nowhere near as common as in Vasart weights.

Best regards

Derek