Topic: Scottish , spoked , millefiori with polished pontil . Age , maker ? Ta !

[Baked_Beans]

This paperweight has a polished pontil mark , 2 3/4 inches in diameter and 2 inches tall. Black ground quite a bit of wear to base. Some interesting-looking canes . Would much appreciate an idea of age & maker. Thanks for having a look, ta Mike.

[Baked_Beans]

Some more photos.......

[daveweight]

It is a spoked weight made by Strathearn Glass in Crieff, Scotland. They opened in 1963 and closed in 1980 and were owned by Teachers whisky but made weights by the lorry load for the tourist trade so there are loads and loads around. Go into Ebay and in the search box at the top of the page type in paperweight strathearn and see how many appear.

They made some better quality weights but these do not seem to come up for sale often and these can fetch good money.

A guy called Richard More has set up a fantastic website showing virtually all the various weights and it is well worth a look so go into the Smugmug website and search for Strathearn

Hope al this helps
Dave

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks very much Dave,

Would you have an idea of age between 1963 & 1980 ? I will have a look at the website you mentioned.

Cheers, Mike

[daveweight]

Hi Mike
It sometimes hard to tell the age of these weights as they made the same designs over almost the whole time they were in operation but I would guess this is 1970's rather than 60's
Dave

[KevinH]

But ... it could very easily be Vasart Ltd (1956 - 1964)!

The unevenly ground out base would fit for being pre-Strathearn. The twist canes are of the "chunky" style seen in lots of Strathearn weights, but the blue tinge to those twists could suggest an earlier period.

(Does Anyone have a signed or labelled Strathearn weight that has the blue-tinged twist canes?)

Most (I won't be brave enough today to say "all") of the millefiori canes are early Ysart (i.e. from the 1946 - 1954 period or maybe even pre-war.) However, early Ysart canes were used in all of the Vasart / Strathearn periods right up to 1980.

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks Guys,

I did find this cane which looks very similar.........

https://strathearn.smugmug.com/StrathearnVasart-Ysart-canes/1946-to-1955-Ysart-Vasart/i-3vG5ndJ

Cheers, Mike

p.s. The twist canes have a definite blue tinge not white !

[tropdevin]

***

Hi.  I would vote for Vasart rather than Strathearn, especially with the ground base... but it is an inexact science!

Alan

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks Alan,

I've been reading as much on-line info. as I can and came across this wonderful website. There is a paperweight here with blue tint twist canes very similar to this example to the bottom right (same size also , this one being more like 2 1/8 inches tall having remeasured it  ! ) . It mentions a blue florescence under UV but on mine it only applies to any blue that is present  in some of the canes    I liked reading about Michael Parkington too !


http://www.ysartglass.com/Vascat/VasPV001.htm

Ta, Mike
 

[tropdevin]

***

Hi Mike.  It is a useful site - I think several of us here on GMB (especially KevH)  have contributed images to it in the past.

Alan