Topic: Millefiori paperweight.. is it Clichy? Ans: Yes it is!

[jonchellycain]

see now i actually agree with you Alexander in principle, if somethings old i like it to look old and bashed about with marks and stains and life. Although when it comes to glass i do like perfection, but as a collector my glass is generally no older than 1960, so i can afford to be picky.
I love the weight as it is and to be honest would have absolutly no idea where to start on having it restored, so dont think i would be to happy about going down that route anyway.
Great site KevH, it is definatly the same weight, slight variations in colour.
I am a little confused at the moment as to what im going to do next, as unfortunitly this isnt one for my collection, although i do really like it, and could quite easily find room for it  .
Would my best bet be talking to somebody at one of the big auction houses ?, I certainly wouldnt take it to a local one as they dont seem to consider glass to have any value whatso every (although thats good for me as i buy from there very cheap) I dont really know what sort of value to expect, I thought i had an idea but actually i dont think i do
 I know i cant go to much into sales talk as this will be put into market place and forever be lost.
many thanks again
michelle

[Baked_Beans]

If you telephone your local Christies or Sotheby auction house and speak to one of the valuers then you can send them your pics to their email address and they are quite happy giving you an initial estimate/ball park figure based on your description.
Museums tend to direct you to a collectors forum !
I called in on the way back from work today to look at the collection in the Bristol Museum but couldn't spot one like yours on display. It's worth having a look though if you ever find yourself in Bristol. They are all in pristine polished condition . But it is possible to see (on some) just a faint shadow of a circle where they have been knocked in the past.
Good luck !!

[jonchellycain]

Thanks Mike, there is a Bonhams in Bury, they do a valuation day at Cambridge every so often. I didnt have much luck last time as i took 2 limited eedition Dartington Sharons with the etched Gertrude Hermes, R.A, designs on them. He had no idea about glass, hadnt heard of Hermes and told me to put them on ebay basically... not helpful at all.
I think that is going to be my first port of call though (not Bonhams this time).
Thanks so much for your interest and help it is much apreciated, and if im every near bristol Museum i will certainally make a point of stopping in.
I will of course keep you all informed on further developments with regards to the weight
many thanks again
michelle

[Baked_Beans]

Bonhams would be just as fine too (I'm sure) . I had great help from a valuer in their Bath office. He wasn't quite sure on my piece and he spent time asking his collegues in London . So please don't be put off by one episode !!

[SophieB]

Hi,

I understand your frustration with auction houses. I had many an annoying experience as seller, too. As buyer, however, you can pick up bargains, indeed. :hiclp:

You may wish to consider selling via a French auction house, too. Boisgirard (Important auction house - Paris) holds auctions dedicated to paperweights regularly and about half are antique French. Your weight would get the audience you would wish for it. I include the website below. And don't wory if you contact them, they should be able to communicate in English.

http://www.boisgirard.com/

SophieB

[Baked_Beans]

Is it possible to tell if a weight has been polished other than size/shape ? I would have thought that if this weight has remained unidentifed, up until now, then nobody in the past would have bothered with the expence of having it done ? Cheers Mike.

p.s. Great link Sophie !

[KevinH]

Occasionally, Clichy weights with a colour ground will show a white edge to the ground if the polishing has been extensive.

Any weight that has been polished may have "flat spots" which might not be visible under normal viewing, but can be felt by running fingers gently across the surface.

[Baked_Beans]

I thought I would add this photo from a Sotheby's auction catalogue (I missed it the first time I flicked through !)
The auction was entitled Important Papereights, The Proerty of The New-York Historical Society. It took place in New York on 18th January 1995.

The description is as follows ..

' A Clichy Concentric Millefiori Colour Ground Weight, 19th Century, the clear glass set with six groups of pink pastrymold canes divided by green and yellow pastrymold canes about a row of white edelweiss canes with yellow centres, and a row of pink pastrymold canes about a cluster of tiny elongated green star canes with a red and white floret centre, set on an opaque cobalt-blue ground. (internal crack and scratches) Diameter 6.6 cm.'
Exhibited 7 times , Literature , Paul Hollister, Glass Paperweights of the New-York Historical Society p28 colour plate 10.

There is no mention of any repolishing in the description(if it had been repolished then it would have been mentioned) but the diameter is 1 mm greater than yours. But it might be down to a 1mm tolerance in different weights or measuring errors.

The auction estimate back in 1995 was $400-600 but I have no idea of the final hammer price.

Yours has a garland of tiny cluster star canes which I'm sure will make it more valuable plus no crack !
 
I'm sure Sotheby's won't mind me publishing this photo espcially if you decide to ask them to auction it!

 

[jonchellycain]

Hi all
thanks so much for all your hard work Mike and everybody else
Ive just had a quick chat with a chap at Sotherby's and unfortunitly they dont deal with anything valued under £3000  , so do not really sell with paperewights any more. But he did say the best person to speak to would be Simon Cottle at Bonhams. I have given them a call and they have requested that i email Mr Cottle some details of the weight and pictures. I will include a link to this page also.
I have re-measured the weight and believe it is infact 6.6cm in diameter, when looking from a side view you can see the layers in the blue ground and although its not white it looks to be a very pale blue (it is white but still has a thin layer of blue over it, if that makes sense).
Ive run my fingers over it quite a lot and cant find any "flat spots" KevH, but not really knowing what im looking for could mean its highly likely i would have missed it had it been there.
I will of course let you all know any information i get from mr Cottle.
all the best
Michelle

[jonchellycain]

Just found this through a link in your site KevH
http://www.weights-n-things.com/en/antique-paperweights/france/clichy/turquoise-ground-10-roses.html