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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: paperweights on September 16, 2010, 02:41:16 AM

Title: Whitefriars type paperweight - more information sought
Post by: paperweights on September 16, 2010, 02:41:16 AM

I've had this paperweight in my collection for at least 15 years. When I bought it at a well known auction house it was called antique Whitefriars.  It is small, 2 1/4" diameter by 1 1/3" high.  It has 10 side facets. 

(http://paperweights.com/pw231tn.jpg)

http://paperweights.com/pw231sm.jpg (http://paperweights.com/pw231sm.jpg)

As you can see,  it has Whitefriars type construction with the canes close to the bottom of the weight.  There is a ring of heart canes.  I don't recall seeing these canes anywhere else.  Can anyone shed any light on the origin or age of the paperweight?

Another view from the side:

(http://paperweights.com/pw231sidetn.jpg)

http://paperweights.com/pw231side.jpg (http://paperweights.com/pw231side.jpg)

Thanks.

Allan

Title: Re: Whitefriars type paperweight - more information sought
Post by: tropdevin on September 16, 2010, 06:02:21 AM

***

Hi Allan.

The 'antique Whitefriars' myth (meaning pre-1930) was blown apart in the early 1990s, with the paperweights carrying an '1848' date being correctly attributed to Arculus or Walsh Walsh, and dating to the 1920s - 1930s. But a few dealers / sellers / auctioneers still use this term in 2010.

I suspect your weight is a Whitefriars weight - those heart canes look very like Whitefriars heart canes - but dating to the late 1940s / early 1950s. Whitefriars made very few paperweights until the 'Triplex' in 1951 and 'EIIR' in 1953, but they did make some. I had a paperweight inkwell with similar but different coloured heart canes, alongside canes that matched those in the 'EIIR' weights, and alongside these were some Walsh Walsh style '7/6' canes! I guess that came about because Walsh Walsh and Whitefriars collaborated on certain things in the late 1940s, and when Walsh Walsh closed in 1950, some workers probably moved to Whitefriars.

So I vote for yours being a Whitefriars weight from around 1950, with later facetting to remove damage.

Alan

Title: Re: Whitefriars type paperweight - more information sought
Post by: jamalpa36 on September 16, 2010, 08:30:11 AM

Hi Allan

My vote is for Walsh Walsh. They made a number of different heart canes and also the centre cane is typical.

The base of your weight does not have the Whitefriars indent button and I agree with Alan that it has been recut to remove damage.

Roy

Title: Re: Whitefriars type paperweight - more information sought
Post by: johnphilip on September 16, 2010, 12:10:50 PM

Yep if the canes are not set into a seperate glass button with the clear dome over it  it aint W/Fs .

Title: Re: Whitefriars type paperweight - more information sought
Post by: tropdevin on September 16, 2010, 05:18:01 PM

***

I'm not so sure we know exactly what Whitefriars paperweights look like from the 1948-1951 period, when they may have been collaborating with Walsh Walsh. But I would not rule out this being a post WW2 Walsh Walsh piece.

Alan

Title: Re: Whitefriars type paperweight - more information sought
Post by: paperweights on September 18, 2010, 01:23:17 PM

Thanks to everyone who responded.  I knew it wasn't really antique as I also read those 1990s articles debunking the 19th century myth.  However, I was hoping someone had a weight with the same setup.  For now I will call it Walsh Walsh possibly as late as 1951. 

Allan