Topic: Pirelli labelled paperweight - info sought

[Bluerinse]

Hi I found this today, it has a part label, any info on who made it and age will be great fully participated ,cheers

[Bluerinse]

The base

[chopin-liszt]

Your label reads Pirelli, Made in Scotland.
Qute an unusual label to find on a weight, I think. 
I'm sure others will be able to tell you much more about this company and where it fits into the history of Scottish Glass.

[Bluerinse]

Thanks so much, have googled and found out quite a bit, but if anyone wants to add further I will be very happy

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  It is a Vasart paperweight, dating to the mid - late 1950s, when some of their production was sold through another company under the Pirelli label.

Alan

[Bluerinse]

Well what can I say all my questions answered, I am truly Thankful and now after reading up on scotish paperweights a little more informed
great websight and thanks for pointing me in the right direction

[chopin-liszt]

Pirelli are mostly known for good quality lampwork figurines.

[paperweights]

Pirelli never made any paperweights.  They (Pirelli) were owned by George Dunlop and located in London.  They distributed Vasart and (possibly) Strathearn paperweights under a marketing arrangement.  In 1959 advertisements in trade journals, Pirelli claimed Vasart as a subsidiary although the claim was probably false. 

For more information, see the 2015 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association article by Angela Bowey and Allan Port. 

[chopin-liszt]

  With names such as Pirelli and Dunlop, I'd have thought they'd be more into rubber than glass, but I'm sure they were into advertising.
Does anybody know where Pirelli sourced their lampwork animals?

[paperweights]

To the best of my knowledge, Pirelli made all of the lampwork animals themselves.  They had the ability to do lampwork but not make paperweights.

This is in contrast to the “decorative glassware” they made using using glasses purchased from Pilkington and others.  A significant portion of their business was through contracts with the makers of Babycham and Martini and others.  They purchased the glassware and applied decorative transfers and gold bands. Some of this work was sub-contracted to Ysart Brothers Glass.