Topic: Caithness paperweight collection

[Perkyliz]

I have been given a collection of Caithness paperweights from the 70s and 80s mostly and have used colin Terris's 1999 book to identify them.  I have nowhere to display them and would really like for them to go to good homes where they will be enjoyed BUT the valuations in the book don't tally at all with what they are selling for on eBay.  Is there any way of reaching genuine collectors who might really like to add to their collections?  I have about 25 of them      I can post pictures but there's so many of them!!

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  There are so many Caithness paperweights on the market over the last few years (and more coming on evry day) that prices are way below the (optimistic) estimates in the Charlton catalogue.  I think eBay reaches more 'genuine' collectors than any other single method of selling.

Alan

[daveweight]

Caithness issued their first paperweights in 1969 and when we started collecting Caithness weights in the early 1990's they issued two lots of new weights each year - In January they would issue their Annual Editions and In July their Mid Year editions. To give you some idea of scale - there would be around 15 - 20 Annual editions and say 6 Mid Year editions.

This all changed when the membership of the Caithness Collectors Club reach unforeseen numbers of around 10,000 worldwide all wanting Caithness weights but instead of keeping edition numbers small they decided to capitalise and produce more weights to meet demand so suddenly the numbers of new editions rocketed and I remember in one year there were around 800 and they have maintained high levels since.

As a result there are huge numbers of Caithness paperweights around which has inevitably resulted in their value plummeting, in fact in the early 1990's the average cost of a weight was around £35 and many of these would not fetch this much on Ebay today. Having said that some of their weight do fetch reasonable amounts so it is all a matter of luck of who wants a particlaur weights when it appears for sale

Hope this clarifies the situation
Dave

[Perkyliz]

I understand this but I'm not so bothered about the value - I just want them to go to good homes as they were collected with love.  Surely limited editions eg. Space rose, Vortex, Coral, First quarter etc.... have some value to somebody who collects Caithness paperweights as some of the editions were as low as 270 and 360 made and date from 1972

[Lustrousstone]

As Alan says

I think eBay reaches more 'genuine' collectors than any other single method of selling.

Check ebay sold items for prices

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  I think there we so many 'Limited Edition' examples from Caithness that the concept is close to meaningless - a bit like the 'Limited Edition' commemorative plates or medals advertised on the back of the Sunday papers.  It has little or no effect on value unless you are dealing with editions of 25 or 50 - and even then someone has to want them.  I have seen quite a lot of technically skilful Caithness Limited Edition pieces that were issued at £150 or more sell for under £25 each in the past couple of years, because there are just so many around.  I have also seen estimates that there were between 3 million and 5 million Caithness paperweights produced - I don't know whether that is correct, but it seems consistent with the numbers in the catalogues.

Alan.

[Perkyliz]

Thanks for your time guys in replying - I think it's a real shame.  So I guess I'll keep them all in their boxes in the loft    Seems such a waste as they are really beautiful 

[Lustrousstone]

If you put them on ebay, they'll sell. There is also a Facebook group for Caithness Glass and some of them are keen paperweight collectors. Or you can pictures on here asking people to email you if they are interested. What you probably won't get is money back or return on investment. First Quarter was a fully subscribed edition of 1500, so not exactly rare. Boxes and certificates add some value and condition is very important

[Perkyliz]

Thank you. I'll think about it and maybe put some pictures up as you suggest.  Thanks for posting my comment on the facebook page very much appreciated.  I just feel so sad that they wont be really appreciated. I'll give it a go but I do want them to go to good homes or a good home.
Hopefully this post has 3 attached photos -  I'm not really a techi so I only hope I'm doing it right!!!  email me at perkyliz1 AT gmail DOT com ( * ) if you are interested in any of the 3 pictured or if you are looking for any others as I might have them!!!

Mod: ( * ) email address made spam harvester proof - change AT and DOT and close up spaces)

[Perkyliz]

Hi guys - I guess my photo posting skills didn'yt work....so here is a list of the paperweights I have. If anybody is interested in any of them please email me (Mod: See above for email address)

MANY THANKS for looking at this thread.
CT number   Name         date     designer                         Exact number in limited editions[/b]
8                   Coral        1972     CT                                              77/500
10           Harlequin single     1972     Paul Ysart derivative (PH or CG)   
19                   Ariel                 1972     CT                                             459/500
27   Flower in the rain - red   1974     CT   
29    Space Rose – White       1974    CT                                             137/1000  closed at  273
        Space Rose - Sienna       1974      CT                                          101/1000  closed at 320
38           Vortex - red          1974    CT                                             173/1000  closed at 778
40       Sentinel -  purple        1974   CT
            Sentinel - red          1974   CT   
55       Sundance                  1976   CT                                            1328/3000
57       First Quarter                 1976     Peter Holmes                              160/1500
70     Jubilee Moonflower         1977      CT                                            1603/3000
75         Comet                  1977      CT                                            2283/3000
89        Spindrift                  1978      CT                                              682/3000
92    Morning Dew - red         1978      CT   
128        Ice Fountain          1979      CT                                              981/1500
169        Night Flower          1980      CT                                              101/1000
295         Seaform                    1982   Innes Burns
             Seaform                  1982   Innes Burns   
305        Fireball                          1983      CT   
338       Spinaway                  1983      CT   
456      Pastel - purple          1986      CT   
520      Tango - crimson          1987      CT   
640            Fiesta                  1988      Alistair McIntosh