Topic: Frank Eisner

[Frank]

What this weight does tell us is that it was probably one of the very first Waterford products following the installation of their furnace and that the initials M & C may be the founders christian names Miroslav and Charles. So the inscription had special significance. The installation of their furnace would also be why they hired Eisner as apart from Miroslav, in 1950 they had 3 German cutters and the rest were trainees, including Domhnall Õ Broin who had joined them at that time.

So quite a significant piece of glass history! You should try and contact Brian Havel who wrote the book on Miroslav Havel and may be able to shed some more light on this remarkable find a museum piece for sure.

(Makes up for today's disappointment I guess   )

It also tells us that Eisner made these weights at Waterford and probably prior to that at Lemington as this was no practice piece. So it may solve the other puzzle and finally trash the Moncrieff source story.

[Frank]

This weight has been implicated in the badge weight study http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,21601.msg239605.html#msg239605

Study examples reposted link http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=336&Itemid=6

[KevinH]

The engraving that Ray has shown above is similar, but not identical to, that on base of the weight pictured in Bob Hall's Scottish Paperweights book, page 53, photo bottom right. The detail on the one in Bob's book is "WATERFORD" to the top, "WR" over floral design to the centre and "19 FE 50" below - and the F & E are linked in the same way as on Ray's example. [Not sure where my personal photos of that weight are right now!]

The weight itself is also similar to the one shown in Bob's book, which has three multi-coloured flowers over a coloured chip ground. I am sure that the weight Ray shows is now the second known "signed" example made by Frank Eisner at Waterford.

By the way, I am currently trying to finisih off some long outstanding tasks including latest research into the Eisner story.

[Frank]

Good to hear Kevin, still cannot find my Havel book which might make sense of initials... but they could also have been engraved as wedding gifts or similar in which case it is very odd that Frank put his signature on... have to see how many coincidences if the book names the engravers and apprentices in 1950. The thought that these commemorate the furnace start-up is of course attractive!

Ray, any chance you can get some provenance for your weight?

[Frank]

Re-reading the thread, it struck me that there is a possibility that Paul and Frank were both active in the Society of Glass Technology and may have gotten acquainted at meetings of the society which Paul certainly attended. Should be trivial (famous last words) to find out if Eisner was active in the SGT.

[RAY]

Frank the weight was bought in a sale in Dundee

[Frank]

Auctioneers are usually not the most helpful but if you can give me the details by email I will try and get them to help get some provenance.

[Frank]

Another chink, Pottery Gazette 1950 annual

W H Swingewood & Co Ltd., Albert Works Stourbridge.
Lead Crystal
General Manager F J Eisner B.E.M.
(company not in 1946, new manager 1952)

So his move to Waterford came at the time the second factory was being built to produce Lead Crystal. So Frank had the chance to make weights in an informal environment at Ballytruckle, The Johnstown factory was close to the Waterford harbour and gasworks and Eisner was one of those recruited to help set that up. As it opened in October 1951 it was clear this weight was not made there.

[KevinH]

Frank, that's interesting additional info. But have I understood it correctly? And what does "company not in 1946" actually mean?

Are you saying that Frank Eisner's move to Ireland was at the very beginning of the newly formed Waterford glassworks and that the location was Ballytruckle? From the wikipedia info on Waterford Crystal it states that the new company (after the closure of the original in 1851) was formed in 1947.

So is the new info you have given suggesting that Frank Esiner moved (presumably directly from Lemington) to Waterford (Ballytruckle) in 1947? And that in 1952 (or thereabouts) he moved back to England to be (or become) General Manager of William Swingewood's glassworks in Stourbridge?

As you suggested in an earlier post, I suppose the "M C" on the weight could conceivably tie in with the 1947 Waterford glassworks founders, Charles Bacik & Mirsolav Havel. Any guesses, though, on what the "W R" on the other weight, shown in the Scottish Paperweights book, could link to? [For general info, anyone checking the book will note that sadly no mention was made that the weight was engraved to the base with Waterford etc. - it was at that time included as probably made at Moncrieef's in the 1930s.]

[paperweights]

I don't know if it helps or muddies the water, but in 2006 I sold an "Ysart" Spitfire paperweight I sold on eBay.  The bottom had an inscription on the bottom "Frank Eisner, Lemington, 1944." 



http://paperweights.com/pw1934.jpg

The paperweight is also shown in Colin Mahoney's book on Paul Ysart (pages 168 & 169).