Topic: Selkirk Super Magnum for show

[Nick77]

Had this one a while but as you don't see many thought I'd just post it here.
Selkirk Super Magnum "Paradise" 22/500, 5" (125mm) diameter and very heavy.

I have been told they only produced 1 super magnum per year but as info is fairly scarce on Selkirk weights I'm not sure if that's right nor whether they typically produced the whole 500?

Also the engraving on the base is not very good either it does read Selkirk Glass Scotland then Paradise 22/500 or it's name is not just Paradise as the word I would expect to be Scotland seems to end with an m and looks something more like it starts with an s but the last 4 letters look more like worm? Not been able to get a clear enough photo to post though.

Nick

[chopin-liszt]

  Have you tried the talcum powder trick over the marks to bring them up for photgraphy? Just rub a little over the marks with your thumb.
If you don't have talc, flour would do, but it can be a bit messier.

It seems odd that one would be numbered 22 out of 500 if there were not the 21 made before that, but large runs frequently do not get completed. I don't know if that is the case for Selkirk, I know it is for IoWSG and Caithness.
But it might be that the first 21 were not super magnums.
It's rather a lovely design.

The important thing is that you've got it. It's yours!

[Nick77]

There would definately have been the first 21, I wondered if anone knew if all 500 were actually made,they would also all have been Super magnums in the design, as you say the Caithness book and Perthshire lists the numbers produced of each run. I've yet to find much info on Selkirk despite having a fairly large library on paperweights and various website links(paperweights are my main glass interest).

Its just very scruffily engraved that makes it hard to make out, I'll try again though in the next day or so when I can.

Wulf seemed to know a fair bit about Selkirk but don't think I've seen him post in a while

[chopin-liszt]

I've not seen Wuff for a while either. I do hope he comes back - he would be a terrible loss.
Have you looked in Lustrousstone's Gallery?

[Lustrousstone]

I haven't got that one, but the engraving is usually very neat

[SophieB]

Hi Nick,

I am an avid collector of Selkirk and I know a bit about them. 'Paradise' is indeed the name of this paperweight and it is one of Selkirk's super magnums. It is a limited edition of 500 and Selkirk typically would have produced them over one or two years (until the edition was finished or closed). I suspect Selkirk produced more than 21 of these and in all likelihood finished the edition. All the weight of this edition would have been super magnums (i.e. 10 cm/4 inches in diameter or more). I cannot tell you exactly when it was produced as I am away from home and from my documentation but if I remember correctly it was a late production around the turn of the century.

If you are a member of the PCC, I wrote an article about Selkirk's super magnums in one of the issues of 2015 (I think - again I have not got these with me). Selkirk did a few super magnums and they are often spectacular (I am not sure they did one a year - may be in the later years but not in the early Selkirk period). It is always a pleasure to find one. Enjoy it.

SophieB

[Nick77]

Thanks Sophie,

Sorry forgot to say this is actually dated as 1989.

Also managed to get a pic of the engraving, I assume it is supposed to say Scotland but looks like seeworm?? There certainly doesn't seem to be a d at the end.

The same seller had another super magnum that was predominately red in colour but not as nice to me, can't recall the name though, as it was a few years back.

[chopin-liszt]

  That is strange writing/engraving on it. I thought it was upside down, but it's not...
is it?
I'm getting confused about numbers of things and supermagnums.
If one supermagnum was made a year, does that refer to one design and perhaps up to 500 supermagnums made?
Or is the design in normal sizes, with just one supermagnum sized version made per year? (which was how I first understood what was said)

[Nick77]

Supermagnums were just that size per design (over 4") This was to be a run of 500 but it seems there may be no record if all 500 ( at least 22 were made  )were made or whether sales died off. I was told by a dealer that only one supermagnum was made per year, although a previous post on here by Wuff lists 2 for '89, perhaps the year could end before all were made. Did they perhaps only make to dealers order and if it came to the year end did production end for that design?

I did find a website once a collector,I think, had set up with some info but cannot find it now.

Strangeley the Selkirk website for the visitor centre is still live despite them closing in 2006.

Nick

[SophieB]

Hi Nick,

In theory, Selkirk glass could have produced all 500 of the edition in 1989 but as it is a large edition (for Selkirk), it is unlikely that all 500 were made in that year and some would have been made in 1990 and may be even into 1991 (depending on the popularity of the design). When you look at catalogues, large editions are often carried over 2 years.

Also although not the rule, I noticed that sometimes the engraving on the underside is not as good/readable as in the great majority of the production.

I have attached pictures of my own Selkirk super magnums below 'just for show' too  .

SophieB