Glass Message Board

Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: strictsum on February 18, 2013, 07:48:43 AM

Title: Need help id'ing my grandmothers paperweight
Post by: strictsum on February 18, 2013, 07:48:43 AM

She always told me this paperweight is close to a hundred years old. I cant find it online anywhere and I don't know who else to ask so I'm coming here to the experts. Can anyone help me out with this. Do you know what it is or who made it. It is unmarked but I've always thought it was beautiful.

http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q799/strictsum/paperweight1_zps6ff04f27.jpg

http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q799/strictsum/paperweight2_zps4b7106f.jpg

[Mod: IMG tags removed from the links as they are inoperative in this Board.]

Title: Re: Need help id'ing my grandmothers paperweight
Post by: tropdevin on February 18, 2013, 08:53:42 AM

***

Hi - welcome to the GMB.

The design of your paperweight is quite common in various European countries, and has been made throughout the last 100 years or more. Also, immigrant workers to the USA took the design with them, so a good number of similar pieces emerged from a variety of American glass factories, sometimes as formal products but also as 'friggers'.  If it was in Europe I would suggest it might have been made in Bohemia (the Czech Republic) or Alsace, but I suspect yours would have been made in the USA.

Hope this helps

Alan

Title: Re: Need help id'ing my grandmothers paperweight
Post by: strictsum on February 19, 2013, 12:50:00 AM

Yes, we are in the United States, South Carolina to be exact. Thanks for your response, From the sound of it you are saying there is no way to track this down to a specific maker or year. I can't find one online like it at all. The tulip looking design yes, but I haven't seen a green one or one with the tall skinny tulips. I wish there was a way to date it but I know with it being unmarked that is almost impossible. Thanks again for your response. ;)

Title: Re: Need help id'ing my grandmothers paperweight
Post by: aa on February 19, 2013, 08:11:18 AM

Quote from: tropdevin on February 18, 2013, 08:53:42 AM

***

The design of your paperweight is quite common in various European countries, ..... but also as 'friggers'. 

Alan

One reason that these are quite common may be that they are comparatively simple and quick to make, and in an industrial glass environment simple enough to be made as a frigger by any glass worker, with fairly basic skills.

I make my own versions from time to time and find that people respond very well to them. Mine are, however, signed and dated!