Topic: A little help ID'ing a little paperweight, Please

[Zatzafrazz]

Hello,
I'm not really "new" here. I've been visiting these boards for over two years. I registered specifically to ask a question about this little paperweight that I have. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to post the pictures!!

This is a round paperweight with a a flat little bottom. If there was a pontil, it was polished smooth. It appears to have had felt on the bottom at one time but that is gone now. It measures about 1 1/4" (accross, not around). It has a little bitty "rock" inside at the base that actually appears fossilized (amazing) a tiny, black and white striped seashell above and to the side of the "rock". There is a swoop of aligned bubbles that rises from the base and swirl upwards over the "rock".

Does anyone have any idea who might have made it? Thank you in advance for any help you are able to give me.

-Zatzy.

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr308/Zatzafrazz/2008_0107Pictures0009.jpg
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr308/Zatzafrazz/2008_0107Pictures0010.jpg
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr308/Zatzafrazz/2008_0107Pictures0011.jpg

[Frank]

Stunning piece.

[Zatzafrazz]

Thank you Frank.

...Another question: How are these kind of paperweights made? I've always been curious to know how the bubbles were put in there.

Thanks again for any info.

[Frank]

They use a pricker tool to create the pattern of bubbles. Push a pin into soft hot glass, pull it out and you leave a bubble behind.

[Zatzafrazz]

Wow!! Really? That is a lot of work. I've always liked this paperweight. But that bit of information gives me a whole new appreciation of it. Seriously, thanks a lot Frank.

[Sach]

They use a pricker tool to create the pattern of bubbles. Push a pin into soft hot glass, pull it out and you leave a bubble behind.

Close, push a point into the glass and you make a indent in the surface.  When you gather or apply more glass over that surface a small air bubble gets trapped in the indentation.  As you continue to work the piece the heat causes the trapped air to round out into a spherical bubble instead of the original teardrop shape.

For something like this you use a group of points all neatly arrayed on a board of some such so that the array of indentations can all be applied in one move.  A florist frog works well for this.

[Zatzafrazz]

Sach,
Points applied at once, in one move makes sense as the bubbles definately have a pattern to them and they are absolutely tiny. Any idea who might have made it or how old it might be? I've had it for about five years. I bought it in a box of stuff at an auction. It's so small, i thought it was a rather nice "shooter" marble.

Again, thanks for all the help!!

[Cathy B]

Is there anything vaguely approaching a signature underneath?

[Zatzafrazz]

Nope. No signature or mark at all. Just a very smooth, polished base.