Topic: paperweight--unusual to my eye

[Matcha]

Hello,
I found this paperweight for sale on the sidewalk in Caracas, Venezuela (!).
I thought it was great, but have no idea as to who made it or when it was made.
I wonder if anybody here finds it familiar?

Thanks very much!

[glasstrufflehunter]

That sort of design is called 'frit'. The colours are chips of glass that were encased. It looks almost like it had five bubbles but two of the bubbles joined making that large rectangle.

I can't venture a guess as to where it was made. I've seen frit designs from the US, China, India the UK and Europe. Maybe it was made locally.

The side photos look like it has a fracture. It would be mirror-like at certain angles. I have see lots of frits with fractures. They're caused by improper annealing. I have a cracked frit on a shelf in my kitchen. 

[Matcha]

Yes, you're right about the two air bubbles fused together. The large bubble at the top makes the whole thing look rather abstract. But if there were meant to be 5 bubbles, I can see now that each bubble would be the stamen of a flower--4 around the edges, one in the middle.
And it's not fractured! What you see in the picture is actually one of three layers of the unfurled flower petals.
Thanks very much for your help. Too bad there's little chance of knowing where this one was made, I'd like to know.

[glasstrufflehunter]

Do you have a picture of the base? That may help get you an ID.

With the frit in layers like that it kinda reminds me of a design called Aladdins Cave.

[Matcha]

Yes,
Here is a picture of the base.

[Leni]

Hmmm.  With those colours and that base I'd have said Hyderabad.

[Matcha]

India??
I hadn't imagined.

[Leni]

Yes, India, but whoops!  I should have said Firozabad! Sorry!  :spls:  Have a look here: http://verredart.atspace.com/I.html