Topic: Bohemian weight with interesting signature cane.

[Tony G]

Hi All,
            please take a look at this paperweight.  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380800909943?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I follwed its progress on ebay as it has a very interesting signature cane. The stylised "R" in what looks like a lidded vase impression was previously recorded in "Paperweight Signature Canes" by Andrew Dohan on page 143 as a mystery - possibly Stourbridge. It certainly isn't Stourbridge as I am convinced it is Bohemian by the typical ground structure.

 I am aware of Reidel Glass Company but had not seen a mark before of this type. Does anyone have evidence of this?

Also interesting is the odd cane at 7 O'clock on the third photo. It is an impressed shape that was possibly intended to represent something but my imagination isn't good enough to suggest a subject. Any ideas?

I hope this is as fascinating to our experts and Bohemiam / Silesian collectors as it is to me.

Happy New Year all,

[Nick77]

Hi Tony
A very interesting weight, the impressed cane if spun 180 degrees could just possibly be a Prussian eagle maybe?

Nick

[Tony G]

Hi Nick,
             do you know the name of a good osteopath? Just contorted to 180 degrees and I can see what you mean. If that is it, someone probably has a bargain.

Tony

[Nick77]

Hi Tony,
I did it the easy way, saved the image and rotated it in a graphics program

Nick

[mildawg]

I think the cane in question is just a "design". And does not represent anything. The signature cane does not appear to be the clearest. I do think it is 100% reidel and sold for what it is worth.

[tropdevin]

***

Hi all.

The advert is spot on - it is a well documented Riedel signature cane (a crown over an enclosed letter R.)  They are rare, but there are brown and blue versions.  There is an illustrated article about them by John Simmonds in PCC Newsletter Issue 99 (page 16).  Those of you who belong to the PCC can find a pdf of that issue in the Members' Area of the website.

Happy New Year to all

Alan

[alpha]

Definitely Joseph Reidel, and forget what my book says. Research subsequent to my book definitely proved the provenance.

Andy Dohan

[w8happiness]

***

Hi all.

The advert is spot on - it is a well documented Riedel signature cane (a crown over an enclosed letter R.)  They are rare, but there are brown and blue versions.  There is an illustrated article about them by John Simmonds in PCC Newsletter Issue 99 (page 16).  Those of you who belong to the PCC can find a pdf of that issue in the Members' Area of the website.

Happy New Year to all

[w8happiness]

Happy New Year to all

also Happy New Year to all of you,
nice to see that the Bohemian Riedel weights are appreciated! RIEDEL are a glass maker dynasty still in full Bloom, making top end wine glasses nowadays, here in Tyrol. For a short history, look up the RIEDEL GLASS Homepage, but it seems that paperweight making was a tiny sideline some time between 1850 and the start of 1900; they are best recognized by certain canes as three lobed leafs (some like butterflys?) and mica flakes in translucent grounds. More complex canes are a bit scarcer, and the Vase with the R certainly refers to the time when Riedel was called "glass king" of Bohemia, firm was located in Polaun/Polubny.

http://www.riedel.com/de/ for documentation purpose only
The German Poet Friedrich Schiller used the murder of a Riedel ancestor as theme for one of his ballads (the Cranes of Ibykus)- the Story goes some ravens witnessed the murder and lead to the case being solved...  Kind regards Erhard/Tyrol

[Tony G]

Hi, thanks for the info. from the Tyrol. So nice for us recent converts to collecting to learn new stuff and get new references for information.

I had never heard of Reidel paperweights before this and found the misconception in Dohan's signature cane book surprising. There again the book is 17 years old now!

Thanks,