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Unusual Mdina wheel shaped paperweight/sculpture, early or recent?

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Andy:
A nice very heavy Mdina wheel shaped paperweight or sculpture, 1.3kg.
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5216
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5215
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5214
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5213
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5212

polished smooth on one side, not the other, and a slice off the side with 'Mdina' to
stand it up. I bought it on ebay, but couldnt tell what shape it was until it arrived,
a nice surprise. Ive never seen the shape before, and last week on ebay , i saw another,
the seller also thought it was rare and unusual, i planned to watch it to see what it made,
but ended up buying it, as it sold for around £10, so now i have a pair!

So, is it early and unusual, or more recent?? Anyone else seen this shape? ???
( I now expect 50 of you to say youve all got one!) ;D

Pip:
Hi Andy, I've seen one of these - a few weeks ago at Kempton Market.  I picked it up  because it looked so nice and tactile (and heavy) but I put it down again without asking the price because the dealer selling it is always very expensive - I've given up asking him prices.  Can't say more than that at the moment though but I'll have a look in some books tomorrow and see if it's mentioned anywhere.

Andy:
Thanks Pip,
ive got a few of the tall 3 sided obelisks,and see them all the time!
maybe ive just missed these and theyre as common as the seahorses! :(
They will make great bookends! :D
Andy

MarkHill:
Hi there,
I've seen only a couple of these too, and believe you're right in thinking they aren't too common. Well, certainly not as common as the seahorses, which may even outnumber the real thing! Maybe they were too expensive or heavy for many people to buy - who knows. I think it's a later piece, judging by the colours, although I don't know exactly when from - probably the 1980s at the earliest. Another variation I have seen almost has a stylised 'flower' design inside, in browns and ochres, but that may be earlier.
Whatever the date, it's a big colourful hunk o' glass and rather appealing, I think. I can imagine what you mean Pip, about it feeling comfortable in the hand. I have a very large and very heavy IOWSG Tortoiseshell-type paperweight/doorstop holding down the ever-growing mound of papers on my desk - when I'm on the phone it's often nice to turn over in my hand and play with. I'd think this one would be too. I'd imagine it would also look rather smart masquerading as a sun-catcher type thingie, sitting on a windowsill.
All the best,
Mark
www.markhillpublishing.com

Andy:
Hi Mark,
this is the one ive just bought, not here yet! its more of the stylised flower shape
than the other, but still in the blue.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140084773063

Cheers Andy

ps. the little 3 sided ink bottle in pic 1, any idea of date for that design?

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