Topic: Antique Butterfly with signature cane - ID Help Please

[paperweights]

Better pictures will be posted later today.  I have closeups of the flower, cane, and butterfly wings.

[paperweights]

New pictures of the butterfly, closeup of wing, closeup of blue flower, and reverse side of signature cane:

[tropdevin]

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Hi Allan.  Thanks for the extra images.

I am pretty sure that this is from the same maker as the butterflies that are being discussed in the 2016 Bulletin. You might want to contact Paul Dunlop if you have not yet done so - I think he referred to this unknown maker as 'Factory 11' in his talk at Wheaton a few years ago.  It seems from the evidence that these wing canes are from the same source as those found in the antique glass doorknobs (close-up below).  A key element is the use of a 22 cog cane, and delicate feathery stardust canes. 

I have a colour ground paperweight with torsade and flat base I believe to be from the same source (or at least, use canes from the same source) - image below.  That reminds me of Belgian paperweights such as Val St Lambert (but I don't suggest mine is from VSL).  I also have a starfish cane weight which includes 3 of the 'doorknob' or Factory 11 canes.  And the starfish weights are probably Belgian, as I argue in an article for the 2016 Bulletin.

I think these are 'unknown European factory' - probably France or Belgium.

As for the signature cane....could it be a 'W'  or an 'M' ?

Alan

Alan

[paperweights]

Thanks Alan.  The owner was hoping for an ID before putting it up for sale.  I've put as much time as I can into this and will leave it as unknown antique.