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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: davidc on October 14, 2008, 04:51:46 PM

Title: paperweight id help
Post by: davidc on October 14, 2008, 04:51:46 PM
first of all hi everyone..
i picked this weight up recently and am struggling with an id (i be no expert, just like them).
it measures approx 3"dia, 2" height.
looks and feels like lead crystal (has a blue/grey tinge to the metal and is relatively heavy)
has a flat polished base (some scratching so i know it's not brand spanking new).
excuse the pics as i can't load the good ones but it looks a lot better in reality, the leaves etc. have detail that doesn't show.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
dc.
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: Sach on October 22, 2008, 01:04:33 AM
Looks just a bit amateurish to me.  Also the colors look contemporary.  No signature of any sort about the rim of the base?
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: davidc on October 22, 2008, 08:45:53 AM
i know what you mean, the way the stems attach is a bit haphazard...my pics are very poor and it is far nicer in reality, much detail doesn't show such as the tiny white stamens in the flower, veining on the leaves and the thorny stem.
there's no signature or any other marks anywhere to be found.
i have been trying to find the flower too but have so far drawn a blank on that too.
i personally think it's relatively recent in manufacture (within 30 yrs or so).
still, it's pretty and i like it and it was cheaper than a pint so i'm happy..
dc.
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: RAY on October 22, 2008, 05:05:09 PM
have you a side view of the weight
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: glasstrufflehunter on October 22, 2008, 06:25:03 PM
The flat and very well finished base looks like a lot of Murano.
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: tzenka on October 22, 2008, 11:59:21 PM
The colors (especially the green) look a lot like Murano to me
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: davidc on October 23, 2008, 09:45:03 AM
thank you for the replies. here is a side view...there's also a faint line about 12mm from the base running the whole circumference, with the lower part housing the lampwork.
dc
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: glasstrufflehunter on October 23, 2008, 04:09:33 PM
Is that line on the inside?

It's not often you run across a Murano weight with lampwork but the finishing does look Murano.
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: alexander on October 23, 2008, 10:37:01 PM
I have seen berries like that before but the where and when escapes me at present.

If I had to venture a guess I'd lean towards a second from a US maker or a repolished antique French weight.
The flower just doesn't say Murano to me, and the knobly bits on the stem makes me think
the maker was dedicated to details, a dedication I don't see much of in Murano lampwork.
Murano lampwork, IMHO, tends to be coarser and not very carefully laid out.

I have a couple of modern California type weights and they both have completely flat bases,
so a flat base on a lampwork weight does not automatically mean Murano.

My guess on the base is that a problem occured that required someone to remove
a lot of the base. Or a previous owner thought the pontil mark was a manufacturing error and had it
ground and polished off.

It's a very nice weight  :)
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: Kari on October 24, 2008, 05:13:52 AM
It doesn't look Murano to me either.  The theme with berries is reminiscent of antique American.  Maybe it's a result of a student learning by copying a classic motif.  I think it's sweet, and the colors are very pleasant.

Enjoy, Kari
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: tropdevin on October 24, 2008, 09:47:05 AM
Hi

Don't rule out modern Chinese: at least one of the factories over there is producing some very competent lampwork (as well as less competent stuff that ends up being sold in Murano).

Alan
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: Sach on October 24, 2008, 11:42:42 AM
Looking at the side, the set up is positioned really low in the piece and the bottom curve is almost completely lost.  I'd agree with the comment about the bottom having been re-ground and polished.
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: pooleandpaperweights on October 26, 2008, 06:58:24 PM
How about Eric Hansen?  Few on ebay at the moment!

Ian
Title: Re: paperweight id help
Post by: w84it on October 26, 2008, 07:10:50 PM
Maybe ...

But maybe not quite up to E W Hansen's standard.

You could ask Eric himself.   He's selling the weights on ebay himself - e.g. 330280124282