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I've seen that description too, Sach, in more than one book. I think it was probably based on ignorance rather than understanding: a relatively tall, top heavy, thin glass stemmed stand would be completely impractical for keeping your wig on!
I don't know who first came up with the term, but it is typical of the problems you find in books about paperweights (and no doubt other things too...). Someone has an idea or theory, and twenty years on another author quotes it without qualifying it; another twenty years later it has become fact. Then it takes ages to unpick the nonsense. You only have to look at online sources like 'Hobbizine' to find out of date rubbish being repeated as if the author were an authority, rather than a fool. I have had one person quote Hobbizine to me as an authority for why their paperweights was an antique Saint-Louis (when the rest of us would have called it modern Chinese).
Here is an example extract about Old English paperweights from Hobbizine:
White Friars, formally known as the James Powell Glass Works, was founded in 1680 outside of London, England. When the factory first began, only flint glass was made but after 1845, a much finer sand was used to make higher quality glassware. White Friars millefiori canes were Victorian in design and became commercially popular after being shown at the 1851 London Exhibition. As with other English glass companies like Bristol and Stourbridge, French glassmakers were initially employed at British glass factories to hand down the art of making glass paperweights. White Friars continued manufacturing glassware and paperweights until 1980 when they closed.
So... it would be a good start to get the name of Whitefriars correct ....then to be aware that there is no evidence for Whitefriars paperweights before the 1930s...then to recognise that Bristol and Stourbridge are towns, not factories....and to be aware that there are no antique paperweights from Bristol...and as for finer sand improving flint glass, I have no idea what the author is getting at.
And regarding 'Bristol' paperweights, the Hobbizine author describes one as 'A paperweight has a purple and yellow pansy with green leaves, all in lampwork. A star millefiori cane is in the center of the pansy.'
Never mind...we live and learn...well, most of us try to...
Alan
Topic: Pedestal paperweight damaged curious to know what it is though please (Read 12935 times)
