Topic: Lesser & Pavey

[Ivo]

Question: who made this weight.
There is a cardboard display label identifying it as "TWISTER" issued by  "Crystal Clear Collectibles"  distributed by Lesser & Pavey Ltd., Dartford. Which tells me just about nothing about the maker...

[Lustrousstone]

China, or elsewhere in the Far East. They also distribute the Leonardo ranges of figurines. They seem to think that giving your paperweight a name makes it collectable and are not the only distributor to do so, for example the Royal Crest range has names

[tropdevin]

Agreed. This piece is as modern Chinese as they come.

Buy 300 identical pieces, and similar quality items cost from around $0.80 to $2.50 each plus shipping. (I have emailed the factories in China, and asked.) I could buy 300, repackage, and label with whatever name I choose - eg, 'Gullible Punters R Us Ltd'. Or 'Bacarat'.

The same factories supply large numbers to Murano.....so you can find Chinese weights in Venice labelled 'Murano' - which I think means, we polished the base a bit, in Murano. Or we stuck a label on, in Murano....

Alan

[Leni]

It's the 'stuck a label on it', Alan.  When we were in Venice recently Alex (Art of Venice) showed us sheets of labels saying 'Murano', which anyone can buy!  It's a big problem, and why some of the Murano glassmakers have formed a co-operative and use their own label.  However, most of the big firms haven't joined the co-operative, because they all use their own ID labels.  So Alex advised either look for a pukka ID from one of the big 'Names' or known labels, or the new co-operative label, but leave anything labelled just 'Murano' well alone!   

[Ivo]

Not happy with this. I'm asking who made this item and I get opinions in stead of facts. I get opinions about quality ( "similar quality items" ) but I did not tell you about the quality of the item in question (nor about the colours, inclusions, sizes, for that matter) ; I get a familiar rant about Chinese weights masquerading as Italians (why??); and I get assumptions about labeling. 

I just asked who made this. If you know, please let me know. If not, then not.

[pooleandpaperweights]

The first reply answers your question.  It's Chinese.  Sorry if it wasn't the answer you wanted, i.e. its rare and worth a fortune, but it is very obviously of low quality and Chinese in origin.  You, like many before, have been duped, but we all get duped sometimes.  If you like it, don't worry about it, just enjoy it.....

Ian

[Ivo]

The first reply answers your question.  It's Chinese.  Sorry if it wasn't the answer you wanted, i.e. its rare and worth a fortune, but it is very obviously of low quality and Chinese in origin.  You, like many before, have been duped, but we all get duped sometimes.  If you like it, don't worry about it, just enjoy it..... Ian

You missed the question which has still not been answered, and threw in another assumption about quality.

[aa]

The first reply answers your question.  It's Chinese.  Sorry if it wasn't the answer you wanted, i.e. its rare and worth a fortune, but it is very obviously of low quality and Chinese in origin.  You, like many before, have been duped, but we all get duped sometimes.  If you like it, don't worry about it, just enjoy it.....
Ian

The reply that it is Chinese does not answer the question. As to the likelihood of Ivo Haanstra being duped, maybe it is you who needs to do some research Ian!! 

[tropdevin]

The Chinese factories change designs frequently, but check out some of these, and you will spot fairly similar designs, plus quite a few 'Murano' weights. You could spend all night checking out Chinese factories.....

Alan

http://www.newarthome.com/

http://sdjd.en.alibaba.com/group/50356997/Glass_Paperweight.html

http://www.kredcorp.com/pro0101.asp?bigClass=Glass+Decoraion&smallClass=Paperweight

[Frank]

They give an e-mail on their website, perhaps they could be asked to start adding the factory names to their range - it would create a lot of interest amongst collectors.

http://www.leonardo.co.uk/

I am puzzled why only 'low' quality is being assumed for Chinese, after all much of the Vasart weight production was inferior to a lot of the Chinese weights being produced in the 30's and today. Perhaps it is because their is little useful research on what is probably becoming one of the most important glass producing regions. After all, a lot of our glass companies are shifting production there too. Not forgetting Britain and Europe declared war on China for the right to trade in China. Adding a Murano label to an imported item is not uncommon, many of the souvenirs in most places were made in other countries. So we have American Glass to celebrate a Scottish Exhibition and Swedish and Bohemian glass for Victorian era souvenirs of Edinburgh (on Scotland's Glass).