Topic: Help needed with ID of antique miniature.

[Nicholas.]

I bought this miniature weight imagining it to be German but not necessarily Bohemian.
I bears signs of wear that would lead one to believe that it was made before 1900 but how much before I don't know.
It is extremely well executed but the glass has very slightly greyish tinge and has numerous very small air bubbles trapped in it.
Any leads would be much appreciated.

[KevinH]

For a similar weight, but with red cane, see the 1999 Exhibition pages in the site for the Paperweight Collectors Circle.

To get to the weight, point to the menu for "Events" and in the drop-down list click on "Past exhibitions". Then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the "Index here" link under "1999 Christie's, London". Now click on the link under the "Bohemian" heading in the "Antique" column. Finally, scroll down and click on the image for "Swirl 19" and this will show the weight in larger view with some text.

[Nicholas.]

Kevin,
      Thank you for enabling me to discover the origin of my weight and for showing me where to find a similar example.
                                        Nicholas.

[tropdevin]

Hi Nicholas

The term 'Bohemian' is often used rather loosely, sometimes meaning Silesia and Northern Bohemia, which is reasonable. But it is also (mis)used to describe weights from various areas in Germany, including Thuringia. I suspect your weight may well be German.

Alan

[Nicholas.]

I've just had to take a good look at an historical atlas, in order to place these different regions of pre First World War Bohemia, Germany, Poland, etc.!

What interests me greatly is why the weight in the Pwt. Circle 1999 Exhibition was attributed to Thuringia, thus potentially leading on to an attribution for mine. Was it the colour and quality of the glass? is the design a known variety? or are there details of technique that are common to weights of this origin? What, please, are the clues?

Also why Thuringia in particular, rather than Bohemia or Silesia? 

[tropdevin]

Hi Nicholas

I was not suggesting your weight was necessarily Thuringian. It may well be 'Silesian', with the uncertainties that brings as what was Silesia now lies in Poland and Germany, I think.  It is worth having a look at Peter von Brackel's book ( see page 3 of this list) - in it he illustrates many weights from Germany / Silesia / Thuringia / Bohemia.

Alan

[Nicholas.]

Thank you Alan,

        I have the book you refer to but, as the weights I collect are generally a bit earlier than the majority of those illustrated in Peter von Brackel's work, I've not really studied it with as much care as I should have. I'll get on to that!

Nicholas.

[KevinH]

What interests me greatly is why the weight in the Pwt. Circle 1999 Exhibition was attributed to Thuringia, thus potentially leading on to an attribution for mine.

The wording for that paperweight in the PCC 1999 Exhibition is,

Probably from Thuringia

(i.e. not a definite attribution) and that was based on the understanding of the owner (and others) at the time.

In the PCC 1999 Exhibition, all weights from the general area that was once Bohemia / Silesia / Thuringia (etc.) were classed as "Bohemian" because, again, that was the best that most folk could ascertain at that time.

Perhaps the "Bohemian" section of those pages could now be reviewed by someone with more knowledge and rewritten? Maybe a good job for the current PCC website editor to coordinate.

[Nicholas.]

Kevin,

Thanks for explaining how, in the 1999 exhibition, Thuringia came to be suggested as a possible source of weights such as mine.

I've just been looking in the book recommended by Alan and I've found two weights that relate to mine on page 233. Both of these weights have "multi layered" swirls, constructed in the same manner as the swirl in my weight, albeit coloured ones.

Nicholas.

[KevinH]

Also in the Von Brackel book, pages 148/9, item 309 is of interest, with a flower design that is fairly similar in structure, albeit with a central bubble, and attributed to "Probably Germany (Thuringia or Bavarian Forest?) 1890-1925".

However, also see items 138 and 139 on pages 90/1. These show examples of weights with a "double spiral filigree ground" and are suggested as "Probably Sileseia (or Bohemia?) c 1860-1914".

Could we please see a photo of your weight, Nicholas, in side and base view to get a better idea of how the "spiral ground" is formed?