Topic: ID help - small millefiori paperweight with twists?

[orangeglass]

Hi,

Firstly, apologies for the poor quality of the pictures taken with my phone.
Also, I don't really know anything about paperweights or the terminology so please bear with me if I get it wrong!
I saw this and was intrigued by it - it looked (to my novice eye) quite good quality, the vendor thought it was quite old but there was very little wear on it.
I have to guess the measurements as approx. 2.25" diameter x maybe 2" high  - looked quite domed but was also slightly lopsided.
It had a "depression" in the centre base (is it still a pontil scar? on paperweights) but the whole of the base looked shiny.
Any help much appreciated,
Roberta

[KevinH]

Very likely a "PP2" weight from Perthshire Paperweights, 1969 to 1977.

"PP1" and "PP2" designs were Large (3 inch), and Medium (2.5 inch) and followed the same basic patterns of spoke-and-millefiori. From 1978 they were signed with a "P" cane, so without a signature, yours is before 1978.

The base is fire polished, which was also a feature of pre-78 of "PP1/2" designs.

[orangeglass]

Thanks Kevin, from your info I've had a look around and found several similar examples.
one more question - what does "presse papiers" mean? (and is it often used incorrectly in descriptions?)

Roberta

[KevinH]

"Presse papier" is French for "paperweight".

[orangeglass]

Thanks!!

having now spent the last couple of hours looking at paperweights  this one seems to be different to the PP2s I have come across - the centre cane is surrounded by 3 rings of tightly packed canes - the ones I have seen either have 2 rings or the ones that do have 3 rings - the outer ring is not close packed .
The centre cane appears to have what looks like a flower outline in it - very hard to see!
I can confirm the size is just under 2.5" diameter, approx 1.75" high.

better pics hopefully below,
Thanks,
Roberta

[KevinH]

I think what you see as a "flower outline" is the shape of an 8 section mould, with each section having a "3-spike pattern".

That mould was used for canes made by the Ysart men at Ysart Brothers (Vasart) (1946-56), which then became Vasart Ltd (1956) and then became Strathearn Glass (1964). Then in 1968/9, some folk left Strathearn to form Perhshire Paperweights - no doubt taking some useful things with them.

Canes of that pattern were used extensively in Strathearn weights and they look very good when their shape is well-defined in a weight. And some of the earlier canes actually made it all the way from the 1940s through to the starting of Perthshire Paperweights - and beyond.

[KevinH]

The number of rows of canes, as well as the number of twists used as section separators, varied greatly within the PP1/2 designs. And the "tightness" of a row of canes varied as well.

Unfortunately for the collector, Perthshire Paperweights sometimes produced weights under one design number that varied a lot (and in some cases was completely different) across the years of that design!

[orangeglass]

After lot more looking I have found that most PP2s I have come across have a centre cane surrounded by two concentric rings, then a 1,1,2,2 formation.
I have found a few, mostly pre 1977 that have the two rings then a 1,2,2 formation.
But I still haven't found one like mine with 3 rings and a 1,2,2 formation !!

Anyone out there got one or a picture to post?

Many thanks,