Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: tzenka on October 10, 2008, 08:54:10 PM
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I am quite sure the first two are Caithness (the person who is selling them said they were her grandfather's Caithness collection).
Mod: tidied up to remove third image which was same as first - and also removed reference to third weight which has been posted as a separate message (http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,23440.0.html).
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Hi Tzenka
Caithness weights if first quality will always have Caithness Scotland either etched or scratch signed on the smooth polished base or in a very few cases scratch signed around the bottom of the dome where it meets the base.
The base of Caithness seconds weights will have either a frosted base, C I I G etched or scratched on the base or be blank
I dont recognise either of the designs but the photos are V small. Better pictures of both would help ID. The facetting in the first one is rather unusual and I dont recall seeing a Caithness weight with this cut. But as Caithness produced nearly 3000 different designs you cant remember them all !
The quality of the lampwork in the second one would lead me to conclude that IF IT WAS A CAITHNESS and I am by no means sure of that , then it would be a Caithness Whitefriars. In this case, somewhere in the setup there should be a cane with a hooded monk. Job to tell from the photo posted but it looks as if there is some sort of etching or engraving over the surface of the dome. The tiny diamond facets surrounding the top facet is a method of cutting Caithness used.
Mod: Reference to third weight removed (see above).
Hope this helps
Derek
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You will occasionaly find Caithness weights which are not signed, but there will always it seems be something very obviously wrong with them in the setup etc, probably making them 3rds. Maybe someone else knows if they should of even been allowed out of the factory!!!
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Hi, I think they are both Caithness but the pics are a bit blurry to tell 100%. The lampwork one looks like one of the range I made with engraved scenes on the back which had a small flat facett on the side of the weightb as a base. This would be at the bottom of the stems of the flowers and any signatures etc would be scratch written on this facett.
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Thanks Allan, you made paperweights for Caithness? :hiclp: Wonderful!
The seller sent me more photos. There is one of the label of this weight, but the photos are all blurry and I can't read it. I am posting the photos anyway...
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Allan,hope you don't mindme asking, and of course don't reply if you do, but is your surname Scott?
I've seen a similar label on some caithness before, but also on Polish weights as well, looks far to good to be Polish though!!!!
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He is indeed. One of the best lampworkers!
Some of his weights LINK (http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=187&Itemid=51)
And some of his Caithness work LINK (http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=23&Itemid=51)
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Hi tzenka
The focus on the photo is not good enough to ID the weight. Allan is your only hope for a positive ID, as if its Caithness he will have made the lampwork for it and may possibly recognise it.
However, the weight is almost certainly Caithness as the label is a warning label about placing the label in sunlight which Caithness weights carry - and at the top edge of the base above the label there is the hint of a scratch signed inscription running around the basal rim. On a Caithness weight with a clear ground such as this one that is where it would be signed. Could you get the seller to check this inscription as it will give the title of the weight and edition number and size.
Best regards
Derek
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Thanks everyone! And, I think I'd speak for all of us if I say we are honored to know Allan, even if only on the net. If I buy one weight from this collection it would be this one.
The person who is interested in selling me the collection of weights is away for the long weekend (until Tuesday) and I couldn't
ask any questions, but I had to make up my mind as to which weights I want, which is why I resorted to asking for help here. So far, it's been worth it 100%!!! :hiclp:
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You can see some more recent work (and available) here (http://www.seelentags.de/AS/), he needs to earn a crust too ;)
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Thanks for the comments, I am pretty sure now that the weight is "Thatching" from the country crafts editions of 2003. A picture can be seen if you go to franks link to my Caithness work and go through the different pages.
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Or just put Thatching in the product search box ;D available when in the catalogue just below the list of categories.
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Oh, they are all beautiful (my 7-year-old daughter called them "drop dead gorgeous", she is extremely competent in paperweights!!!); I would be thrilled to own a copy of Thatching!
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Hi Allen,
I'm the seller Tzneka has referenced. My grandfather left these to me and I'm waiting to auction/sell his collection.
The Bottom to the green one reads:
Enchantment Caithness Scotland: 66-75, which is also a magnum.
The white one on the side honey comb dent Reads:
Thatching Ciathness Scotland: 54-100
A few Others I have that are caithness:
-Whitefriars Bee Keeping Caithness Scotland 66/100
-White friars dry slone walling Caithness Scotland 64/100
-White Friars dog tooth Violet Caithness Scotland 33-50
-Snail + Blossum Caithness Scotland 6-50
- Summer Posy Caithness Scotland 63-150 (very small)
Could you please offer an idea of how much these might be valued? I am really a novice in these matters, but do so love the colors.
Any help or reference would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Glass Slipper
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There is the Charlton price guide that gives a valuation for all Caithness weights, although its valuations are above the present levels it will lt you see the relative values of each. The Magnum for example retailed at 350 pounds but has not particularly gone up in value - you would probably get less then that on eBay. Price guide is cheap, so worth getting so that you can list all the details. Scotland's Glass shows the retail price and quantities made, but has not yet got comprehensive coverage and does not give values.
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Hi Glass slipper
The secondary market for Caithness paperweights is notoriously fickle - if two collectors both
want a particular design at the same time then the sky is the limit - if a design is not so
popular then the weight can sell for very little.
The Charlton catalogue gives a price for each of the nearly 3000 designs made by Caithness
but this is based on the issue price - IE the price when the weight was sold new by Caithness
and the perceived rarity value. I have to say that this price bears little resemblance to the
prices realised on E-bay or at auction. Currently the prices realised vary between 1/4 and
2/3 of the catalogue price.
All the weights you have listed show two numbers - eg Enchantment has 66 - 75. These
numbers indicate that the weight is a limited edition weight. The first number shows that
this was the 66th weight made out of a total that would not exceed 75.
The Charlton catalogue quotes the following information about the weights you have listed.
Enchantment edition of 75 designed in 1996 by Colin Terris £375
Thatching edition of 100 designed 2003 by Allan Scott £225
Bee Keeping edition of 100 designed 2003 by Allan Scott £225
Dry stone walling edition of 100 designed 2003 by Allan Scott £225
Dog tooth Violet edition of 50 designed 1995 by Margot Thomson £175
Snail & Blossom edition of 50 designed in 1995 by Willie Manson £300
Summer Posy designed by Willie Manson in 1996 £75
As you love the colours and the market is currently so depressed why dont you
hold onto them until the market recovers. In the mean time you can enjoy
their beauty and try and work out how they were made!
Hope this helps
Best regards
Derek
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Dear Frank and Derek,
Thank you both for your prompt replies and useful tips. Thank you Derek for actually placing the pricing out on the board for me!
Well, I am looking to unload at least half of this collection, even in the poor market. Could you recommend where I might be best able to sell them? Im open to most offers, but I am not an ebay user. Would that be the best place?
Thanks!
Glass Slipper (___/\_/
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Hi Glass slipper
The first and most obvious place to try selling some of these weights is in the "Glass Market Place" on this forum! I suggest that as a first step you list the ones you wish to sell in this section of the forum.
Other than private sales you have two main options :-
Assuming you are in the UK then a provincial auction house can be a good bet PROVIDING you have one in reasonable proximity to yourself and the auction and images are carried on the internet. Provincial auction house charge a sellers commission which varies between auction houses - you would need to factor this in.
The second option is E-bay - the selling charges have recently increased and I am not sure of the current final value costs but I suspect as a round figure it costs around 10% of the hammer price to sell something on E-bay. You would need to register with E-bay in order to sell but this is straightforward. make sure that the main heading of the listing carries the words Caithness and the title of the weight
Good luck
Derek