Hello all of you. Please believe me when I say I don't try to use this site to decide what to buy or not. I probably have 30 weights, most of them cheap, but I didn't want to invest a lot in them until I learn more about them.
And also, I do use the paperweight sites bookmarked on this site....they are wonderful! I have bookmarked so many sites, in fact, the list is a mile long. I find them tremendously helpful. I have spent hours and hours looking at them, and then looking at ones on ebay, to see if I can identify anything. Most of my purchases have been weights that I like, not what they are worth.
When I spotted the clichy and bidded on it, then asked about it here...and was told it was a St. Mande Clichy....I knew I would never win it. I am not in a position to spend a lot of money on weights so I used the information you gave to study it, and gave up on buying it.
When I saw the one listed as a St. Mande last night, I knew again I could not win it, but thought it might be something some of you would like. I posted that link in my other post thread.
I can recognize a clichy rose, but most I cannot. When I see unusual canes, I try to find them by research and sometimes come to the board for advice.
I know it will take years for me to learn the ins and outs of collecting pw's. I do wish we had a site with just photos of canes...not just a few but a lot.
One of the types of weights I like are the Mdina weights. They are rare here in the states and that's why I like to to go to the UK ebay. You have such a better collection there, and I know if I ever have any hopes of buying a perthshire it will be there and not in the US. That's a purchase I will make later....the one I buy will reach at and jump at me, and I'll know it's the one I want. I get a little thrill out of using what I have learned here, to try to spot a little treasure...whether I can buy it or not.
I look at the weights, save them, and then go back and look more closely and start deleting ones that I don't really like or suspect are Chinese, or I simply can't afford. Then the rest, I just watch, and see how high the bidding goes. Right now I am watching or bidding on a Mdina and a Toso and several Pershires.
The weight I posted here, because of the seller's remarks and the reserve, I pretty much gave up on but am still interested in what it might be.
My brother sent me here originally, as he said you were all very helpful in researching his friend's mother's weight collection. She had wanted them catalogued before her death and after her death, given away to family and friends. My brother completed that for her, as far as listing them, but still doesn't know about most of them. But they weren't for sell anyway, they were to be "given away to family and friends". This is the site they made for her when she passed:
http://www.leewynkoopcollection.com/I received two of the weights as a gift.
So please know I am not trying to profit off your knowledge, but to learn, and possibly help identify some of her weights. I feel I am picking up where she left off. She was a remarkable woman, and sparked my interest in collecting weights.
After rambling on and on...those of you who are still with me....I want to thank you for your advice and opinions, for you've taught me what I know.
Thanks so much....Pat in VA