Topic: Who would have thought this was made at WHITEFRIARS ?

[Patrick]

Hi,
 I recently viewed an auction with Ray Annenberg and he spotted a pair of paperweights made by a chap called Dohnal. He also made swords that used a lot of Araldite that was then painted.
 Their were quite a few paperweight collectors at the auction but mine was the only bid, a Sky blue Whitefriars ring tree and 2 of these weights for 10.00 was a good result.
VIDEO here http://blip.tv/file/3293732
 Regards, Patrick

[Baked_Beans]

Hi PatricK,
Did Dohnal come from the old Czechoslovakia by any chance !? Cheers Mike.

[Patrick]

Hi Mike,
I have just spoken to Ray and he thought he was Polish , a bit of a loner and slightly strange.

Regards, Patrick.

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks Patrick,

Lovely piece of Whitefriars history !

Here's an old Czech paperweight which was used to mend socks (a bit pitted at the top!).  Cheers, Mike.

[Patrick]

Hi,
 I can see why you asked, they are very similar....................

Hopefully some collectors can now put a makers name to their strange paperweights.

Regards, Patrick.

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks Patrick,
Were these Dohnal weights produced in any quantities/different designs or was this piece just a one-off, what do you think ? Cheers Mike.

[Patrick]

Hi,
 According to Ray he made quite a few so I am sure there are others around. The one I have is from a pair that I bought with a colleague, he has the other.
 All the Whitefriars gaffers made friggers that they sold and provided them with plenty of 'beer money'
 
Regards, Patrick.

[Baked_Beans]

Hi Patrick,
It must be difficult to make a positive ID ,for friggers, if not catalogued though !

Here is another similar example possibly Czech or Murano but similar in some respects ! Cheers Mike.

[Patrick]

Hi Mike,
They look like controlled bubbles around the main core.    The WF bubble mould used on ducks and some paperweights have 15 around, however they also had this mould http://www.whitefriars.com/my_photo.php?Owner=steve+rayner&Id=7171. will ask Steve how many around that. Colours look good too............... Kingfisher blue, White enamel and Ruby. This might help with an ID.

Certainly looks good as regards glass quality.

Regards, Patrick.

 

[Baked_Beans]

Hi Patrick,

The blue of the flower basket is cobalt blue (or Bristol !!) and there are 20 lines of bubbles ! The qualitiy as you say is superb !
Cheers, Mike.