Topic: Help with Peacock Feather Murine Paperweight. ID = Strathearn spoke pattern

[svazzo]

Hello again Everyone!
This is another weight i purchased recently.
I thought it was a Perthshire piece at first, but once i received it I saw that the canes has a feathering effect, making them look like peacock feathers.
I am not a collector of Perthshire weights, but I have been able to buy and sell a few of them.
This one does not look like the others i have handled before.
Would anyone know who made this piece?
Thank you,
Javier

[KevinH]

This is a standard production piece from Strathearn Glass, 1964-1980. The "feathered" canes are actually a regular, 8-point star pattern (with additional points on the points!) but which have compressed during the making creating a flattend version of the cane.

An example of the regular spoke pattern, with the typical filigree canes is shown here in my web pages. The pattern varied according to the number of spokes and the number of canes between spokes, but overall the appearance was the same.

A reasonably clear example of the patteren of the outer part of the regular "points on points" cane can be seen here (the ones with the white inner). If any "cane spotters" are wondering whether that particular design of cane was specifically "Strathearn" - no, it was used at least as early as when the company was "Vasart Ltd".

[svazzo]

Hi KevinH,
Thanks for posting a response.

I see your 2 examples do not have the last row of canes at the very bottom.
Would that help in narrowing the date of the piece?

Also, guess I should put in the measurements.
It is 3" across (7.62 cm) x 2" high (5.08 cm)

Another thing, (that maybe because of the way your paperweights were photographed) the 2 samples you list seem to have a solid blue color on the bottom.
Mine has a spotted effect.

[KevinH]

Hi Javier,

I see your 2 examples do not have the last row of canes at the very bottom.

One does, one does not. But, in fact, in our weights the last row is not a true row but the final part of the "between spokes" canes. Some of the variations in the general pattern were achieved by using smaller and larger canes such that between each spoke, counting from the inside to the outside, there could be "1-1", "1-1-1", "1-2", "1-1-2" groups of canes. Some larger (3 inch +) weights could have a "1-2-3" grouping between the spokes. And some could squash even more canes in!

Would that help in narrowing the date of the piece?

Unfortunately, the number of canes between spokes does not help to specify a date.

... the 2 samples you list seem to have a solid blue color on the bottom. Mine has a spotted effect.

I think that the vast majority of Strathearn (and earlier Vasart) weights with a coloured ground had a solid colour. But yes, "spotted", or "mottled" ground examples do turn up and yours is a good example of the type. I am not aware of whether that might be a clue to dating, or just an "accident of making" at the time.

[tropdevin]

***

I have had about 500 Strathearn spoke paperweights over the last 7 years, and I have not seen any design feature which gives a clear indication of date. There is a common basic pattern, and many minor variations around it. Grounds vary from uniform solid colour, to uniform translucent colour, to mottled with gaps in, to fairly 'grainy' solid colours. And some dated / signed pieces are set in clear glass. There may be something in the design that is a clue to age, but I have yet to spot it or be told about it!  I don't think date affects the price of Strathearn weights, as far as I know.

Alan

[svazzo]

Thank you KevinH and Tropdevin for the follow ups!