Topic: Lampwork Fruit and Vine Paperweight - ID Help Please

[SimonD]

Can anyone help me identify this little paperweight? It measures 1.95 inches diameter, by 1.05 inches high, and has a lampwork design of what looks like two large vine-like leaves and a leaf-shoot, with five yellow/red fruit. The five fruit share a very fine stem, and could perhaps be red-currants. The lampwork detail is quite fine in terms of colour gradation on the fruit and the little dimples at the end.

The base of the weight suggests antique French to me.

What is a little odd is that the lampwork design essentially rests on the bottom of the glass. On the underside it looks like the polishing touches/cuts through the bottom of the leaves. This might be how it was made, or could indicate that the weight has been repolished.

Any thoughts or speculations would be most welcome!

Simon

[tropdevin]

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Hi Simon. 

I am in speculation mode, but I would agree that from the base and the profile it looks repolished, and I agree it looks like an antique French piece.  The leaf shape reminds me of similar leaves in Saint-Louis redcurrant paperweights, so I think that is a possibility - but I am not confident in that suggestion!

Alan

[SimonD]

Thanks Alan, It didn't occur to me it could be a St Louis weight!

A weight identified as St Louis fruit paperweight with very similar leaves was sold at Bonhams (lot 340, 14 Nov 2007) - http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15272/lot/340/ . George Kulles in "Identifying Antique Paperweights - Lampwork" also associates these vine leaves with St Louis (p28).

However, Paul Dunlop's article in the 2004 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association, Inc entitled "Pantin Paperweights - Observations on this Master of Three Dimensional Lampwork" (p63-69) shows a weight described as "Currants on white ground with grape leaves" with very similar leaves! (Figure 12 on p66)

It's quite possible that the leaves were made and used by different makers, of course. All very confusing!

Thanks again,

Simon