Posted 5 years ago
IronLace
(928 items)
Paperweights have long been an interest of mine...in fact, they're what got me into collecting glass at an early age.
This is my latest acquisition, something different that applies the paperweight form to a doorknob. This one was made by the Scottish firm Perthshire in the 1980s - mid 1990s era.
It is a concentric millefiori on a cobalt blue ground, with a central "P" signature cane, & an unusual star - shaped crimped edge. The weight has been set into a brass fitting that enables it to be attached to a door. I am not 100% sure if I will use it that way, but what I particularly enjoy is how the brass fitting raises up the weight like a pedestal. It measures 6 cm across.
In the third & fourth photos, it is shown with two other paperweights by Perthshire that have the same pressed, crimped form, in a miniature size (4 cm across). The red, white, & blue concentric millefiori on a cobalt blue ground was purchased in the mid 1990s from a specialist paperweight dealer, & the closepack millefiori on a red ground was a fairly recent find in an op shop (& super cheap, too).
In the "classic" mid 19th century period of manufacture, paperweight related items were designed as decorative toppers for stair newel posts as well as knobs for doors & pieces of furniture - rather opulent & wonderful, don't you think?
I'm all for a return to that style of living & applying it the best I can in my home...
Beautiful Glass. Greetings from Republic 2.
Many thanks, Kevin...& likewise, greetings from "Gioia", 985 metres above sea level, where the autumn leaves are in high colour...
OMG!!! This is so awesome! I apologize for not having the time to read your post but I will be back to do so soon as I can! I've never seen one of these before and it's just the best!!!
Thanks so much, shareurpassion, glad you're enjoying it!
Gorgeous, I have 1 or 2 Perthshire paperweights. They are works of beauty and art!
Many thanks, Thomas!
Thanks also, Mrstyndall...& I absolutely agree, Perthshire made very fine paperweights, of super quality & so elegant. I have one other by them, a scrambled millefiori. Plus many others by Scottish maker Strathearn & also various weights from Murano, France, & one from the USA. Will have to do a paperweight themed series of posts, I guess...
Thanking you most kindly, keramikos!
I completely understand your liking for glass doorknobs - they're a fine example of how the everyday can be made magic via good design. How lovely to have experienced them in situ in your childhood home - no wonder you have such fond memories. For me, my first encounter with a glass doorknob was rather odd...almost 30 years ago, as an art student, I was on an outing with a group of fellow students to visit some commercial art galleries in an inner city suburb. Someone had turfed out an old wardrobe on the street, & it had a glass doorknob, which immediately caught my attention...but sadly one of the other students got to it before I could & claimed the prize. I wonder if she still has it? Here I am still thinking of it so many years later. It was pale pink, I recall. But I did manage to acquire some other examples in crystal & milk glass from flea markets over the years. A couple are in use on on display cabinets which needed upgrading in terms of door furniture. :-)
This is beyond my wildest fantasy for a doorknob!! I have 3 of the simple clear glass doorknobs on my bedroom closet doors and I’ve always thought they were pretty....but now, seeing yours...mine are rather ho-hum.
Love these!..
Thanks for the interesting link, keramikos!
Thank you also, Patricia, & I'm sure that your glass door knobs are perfectly lovely! This one's simply the pure, over - the - top opulence that I'm drawn to..can't resist that extra pizazz! :-)
Thanking you most kindly, Penny! :-)
A very special paperweight indeed. It might be displayed to advantage on the lid of a wooden box, if you had one of an appropriate size.
Totally unconnected, between what you wrote about your 'weight and comments, CW inserted an ad for 'weights for sale in their shop. One, a Perthshire cartwheel 'weight, has enabled me to identify one of two 'weights my mother brought home from a Scottish holiday in the sixties. Just one to go now......
Many thanks, Peggy, that is a great idea...I will bear it in mind as I do enjoy a decorating project regardless of "lockdown". Just completed a cushion cover from some spare fabric I've been meaning to put to good use.
And that is brilliant how you've been able to ID a weight in your collection...nice things can often happen by chance. And feel free to email me a photo of the other one, as I have quite a bit of reference on paperweights & may be of assistance.
I have 12 Strathearn weights as well, so could be one of theirs...
Thank you most kindly renedijkstra!
Perthshire paperweights are the bomb for millefiore, can't be bettered.
As a doorknob, even better I think. I actually don't have a lot of papers to weigh down.
Hi, It's me again!!! haha I told you I'd be back. I've been thinking about this since. So...I am a little confused, it is a doorknob correct? I mean it looks like one no doubt and it wasn't added to the brass piece after it was made as a paperweight, or was it? I used to collect glass doorknobs and it does have an unusual shape, in fact, I think I still have one around here with that shape somewhere. Some are very unique, this...this is just so so perfect. I have to say, I love paperweights too and even tho like Karen, I don't have a lot of paper on my desk, but I've got paperweights sitting there just on the glass table top because I love them. The one I have on there now is nothing special but I still like it. When I bought it I was hoping it was a Murano but it's not. I've got old drawer pulls on my message board that holds jewelry, some on the shelves in the restroom that hold hair ties and none on any drawers! Lol. I've even got glass faucet knobs that are upside down holding egg shaped stones. If my home was decorated all Victorian, I would definitely have them in use on the faucet where they were really meant to be used, but the box most people think in has been tossed in the trash years ago for me! If these were mine, I would find some very cool marbles and put them in the holes where the screws go just to see how it looks. Great post!!!
OR (haha no I'm not done yet) after scrolling back up, I would take some old brass screws, shine them up, cut them so that the tops of the screws would fill the holes and just be there for the look. I think that would do these some real justice!
Karen, I quite agree...Perthshire did great stuff & their products were always of the finest quality. Very crisp & detailed canes, elegant colours.
The majority of my paperweights live a sedate life inside a glass - topped coffee table where they can be viewed from above. I'm about to post a bunch of photos of them in more detail, having not got around to it before.
Thanks for coming back, shareurpassion!
Yes, this piece was always intended to be a door knob. They were produced by Perthshire from the mid 1980s - mid 1990s. They do turn up from time to time in auctions & they are quite sought - after. Very lucky to get this one. It was a buy - it - now & I jumped at the chance.
Perthshire made a variety of paperweight - related items including millefiori canes (as did other makers, from the 19th century onwards). I believe that they produced small items such as jewelry (millefiori pendants), cupboard knobs, perfume bottles, etc. For the paperweight collector it is a nice way of being able to diversify the collection. Paperweight folks are pretty passionate about their collecting! I recall one dealer I bought some weights from years ago...he had a tie made from fabric patterned with millefiori canes. Personally, I fancy getting some millefiori cuff links...have favourited some on Etsy but they tend to be super expensive (especially if they're by Baccarat & date from the 19th century). But I can dream & perhaps one day I'll score a pair. Promise to post a photo of them being worn if I manage it! :-)
Ah, cufflink would be so perfect! I had no idea and yes, I can imagine how high they would go if Baccarat! Now I'm curious. Now is definitely the time to look for them, so many are lowering their prices... get it while the gettin's good!!!
@shareurpassion, I was going to add a link for the ones I'd favourited on Esty but they seem to have gone. I guess someone had the finances to snap them up. Nonetheless I shall keep striving...for perseverance is often rewarded...
I would imagine so, renedijkstra. Good quality pieces always seem to hold their value regardless of circumstances. I am far from a high roller myself but still I can dream & sometimes I've gotten lucky. Collecting is strange brew of chance, knowledge, & relentless searching, which is why we love it so...