Topic: Paperweight signed JHS and serial numbered

[brewster]

This white swirl paperweight is of average size and one of many. They have engraved initials JHS, apparent date 87 and a serial number. I have seen numbers 299, 338, 498, 746 and 852 (at least). This frequency suggests a local source, although no collector of Australian studio glass I've asked can identify the maker (or corporate branding, if that is what it is) - despite in some cases also owning a copy! Some of these weights also sport a sticker saying 'Gilbert Oxford JHS'. Can anyone help?

[brewster]

Looks like the photos did not upload initially (or rather did so but with no contents). I've put them into external links below. Perhaps a friendly mod can delete the earlier empty links to avoid confusion. 

Mod: Images put back in original post

[ahremck]

I have 5 paperweights virtually identical to this one - except the colour - by Rob Knottenbelt signed BCG = Brittania Creek Glass his business and where he lived.  I suspect this paperweight was created as a company gift by him but I am puzzled why he did not use his own identifier.  The last time I had contact is at least 10 years ago and he had retired from glass making at that stage.

Ross

[brewster]

Thanks Ross. I agree with the similarity of appearance. The same suggestion was floated on an Australian glass Facebook group back in 2014. However, that source appeared to be ruled out by the following comment, which seems like information direct from the studio. Can you clarify?

Trevor

[ahremck]

Frankly I do not remember responding this way - nor can I figure out why I would.  I notice my pwts are dated 1985 to 1991 and only one has ther rising sun stamp.

Ross

[brewster]

Here I go again answering my own query years later (this time with help). The maker is Rob Knottenbelt of Britannia Creek Glass in Wesburn, Victoria, as suggested by Ross. The JHS is a corporate logo, as I thought, and the Gilbert Oxford is a product of that company. These were made as corporate promotional gifts.

JHS is James Hardie Spicer, a division of the James Hardie conglomerate, best known in Australia as a major producer of products containing asbestos through the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The Spicer company was a maker of fancy paper products. Hardies had bought the paper-maker a few years before these paperweights were commissioned and rebranded the company a few years later (I wonder why?). Gilbert Oxford was a new paper product being marketed.

Thanks to Ross for extra help in tracking down Rob Knottenbelt to get confirmation from the source.

Trevor

[ahremck]

JHS = James Hardie Spicer. Rob Knottenbelt made a run of 1000 for them as a promotional tool. The only run he ever numbered he told me. The Gilbert Oxford bit he thinks miight have been connected to a paper that Spicers were introducing - but is not sure. The swirl was made using a British firms Lead based enamel that became unavailable soon after, presumanbly because of the danger of Lead fumes from using it. Gave a little info about the stamp as well. The family crest was a Willow tree beside a lake with a rising Sun. He amended the Willow to a pine with 6 branches as he was one of 6.

Ross