Topic: Butterfly Paperweight Info Requested

[rorus]

Hello, I thought I'd share my paperweights with you all. I don't know anything about them, but I enjoy looking at them. If you would like to tell me about them, I would be very grateful. Sorry I'm not good at taking photos.

Thank you.


[Mod: This thread is now limited to the central butterfly weight in the pics. The other two weights now have their own threads. Titles of threads have been edited accordingly.]

2nd Weight, see - Yellow and White Overlay Paperweight Info Requested

3rd Weight, see - Blue and White Overlay Paperweight - Info Requested

[chopin-liszt]

Hello and welcome. 
You're not that bad at photographing them either!
And you have interesting things there, although weights are not my thing, i can tell enough to know you do not have cheap tat.
Others will be able to help you and tell you what they are.

I'm particularly taken with the butterfly, and am wondering if it is a really good Scottish weight or of Bohemian origins.    
Have you looked very carefully wth a magnifier, to see if any of the tiny canes in it have any letters in them?
I'm afraid I can't quite make out the texture of the green background, is it a carpet of canes, or  are they in a ring around the outside?

[rorus]

Hello, and thank you for the welcome. I have looked at them with a magnifying glass before and haven’t ever noticed any letters. The butterfly one has a ring around a green centre.
My favourite is the white and yellow one. It has a comforting shape and weight when held.

[SophieB]

Hi Rorus,

Welcome to the board.

Indeed, the butterfly weight is Scottish and was made by Salvador Ysart. Salvador Ysart was a Spanish glassmaker who came to Scotland (via France) during WWI. He and his sons established a tradition of glass and paperweight-making in Scotland that continues to this day.

The cutting of the white weight with yellow core indicates Bohemia and while I cannot really see the canes of the last one, it is an encased double overlay that has both age and quality.

A nice little hoard.

Sophie

[KevinH]

Hi Rorus,

[Please note, Sophie posted while I was typing. ]

I see that you have now posted here in the Paperweights forum and have added pics. Well done for getting this far.

I now ask that you post two more threads, one for the left-hand weight in the pics and one for right-hand one. This will help to make sense of things if we suddenly find many comments are offered for each of the three items. Otherwise it can get confusing.

We can keep this thread for the Buterfly weight - which I can confirm is a "3D Floating Butterfly by Salvador Ysart".

You do not give sizes, but these "Salvador Floating Butterfly weights" are usually around 3.5 inch in diameter and nearly as tall. They are still in the "uncommon" category and, as part of the output of Scottish Ysart work, are highly sought after by many collectors.

The pattern of your weight, with a green centre then a space of clear glass with a surround of two rows of millefiori canes, is quite typical of several other examples. I believe that the majority of "Salvador 3D Floating Butterfly" weights were made at Ysart Brothers Glass works (trade name Vasart) in the period 1946 to early 1950s.

A general search on the imtermet as well as within this Board, will bring up other examples. for instance, a couple of interesting threads for some years ago are:

Salvador Ysart Butterfly Weights. Where are They?
lovely butterfly (Sadly, eBay pics not now available.

[rorus]

Thank you both. I made two new threads like you asked Kevin. I wasn’t sure what to title them. If you want me to change the titles or anything let me know. I’m happy for the comments and help. Thank you guys.