L. H. Selman Ltd

Fine Glass Paperweights

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a Passionate affair XI

By Art Elder

A gingham cut double overlay basket with flat bouquet of 5 deep rose and 4 white cabbage style roses with stems and leaves on a clear ground with a fine grid cut base. Circa 1980. Diameter is 3 1/4 “ From the personal collection of the artist, Ray Banford.

LIQUIDITY

Paperweights are a liquid commodity, and are easily disposed of through an active secondary market in auctions and specialty dealers.

However, as with any other artwork, paperweights may or may not have been a good investment, depending on the subject and design, the glassmaker-artist, the time they were bought, the price paid, and the time and venue in which they were sold. As with any commodity, these choices make all the difference between profit and loss. However, the demand for any commodity will always be cyclical, and the price will vary accordingly. For the past 50 years, there has been a strong demand for paperweights and prices have risen regularly. Presently some collectors are predicting that, perhaps the present cycle has peaked, and we are facing a softened demand as many of the older collectors (or their families) are disposing of their collections. Attracting younger collectors to the wonders of paperweights has been an ongoing challenge in the past few years. Some feel that most Baby-Boomers and Yuppies are more consumption oriented, having been raised in a “disposable society”, and they are simply not appreciative of antiques or expensive collectibles. No offense intended – that’s just the way it is. Of course there are exceptions and some very influential younger collectors are very active, and building outstanding collections. I only wish they were not the exception! New blood is necessary to keep any activity vital.

Whatever the reason, the fact remains that the total number of collectors has declined slightly over the past few years, as the older collectors pass into the “happy collecting grounds in the sky”. New collectors are being recruited by trying to make the public more aware of the attraction of fine paperweights, and time will tell whether the number of collectors continues its present trend. Whatever the trends of supply and demand, most collectors agree that paperweights should not be acquired for the potential capital gain – they should be collected principally for the love of the art, an admiration of the design, and a fascination of the medium.

SUMMARY

It is said that you can tell a lot about a person by what they are passionate about. I have found that I usually enjoy most other paperweight collectors, because we seem to have similar values, personalities and frequently share similar interests. However, while some paperweight collectors prefer rarity, or precision, or miniatures, etc., others may value color, or specific artists, or “critters” such as snakes, bugs, and lizards, etc. The choices are almost endless. Certainly what I prefer may have a low priority on another collector’s list. But just because we each have different priorities and tastes does not make one person’s collection more important than another’s. Who are we to judge what others should prefer, or to say what is the “correct” choice for another collector? So, what does make an outstanding collection? With the above thoughts in mind, the answer is really pretty simple.

And those glass lovers, ends the chapter. Be sure to send your cards and letters and let us know if you’d like to probe more deeply into this wonderful memoir with our next visit!

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

For More Visit The Glass Gallery, L.H. Selman Fine Glass Paperweights

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a Passionate Affair X

And finally, any discussion of paperweight collectors would not be complete without including Paul Jokelson, who was affectionately called by his friends, “The King of Paperweights”. He earned that title buy his lifelong enthusiasm and support for paperweights, and for being an advocate for paperweight collectors, artists, and dealers. Jokelson was born in France, and bought his first paperweight (the famous “Bird in the Nest”) in Paris at age 18 in 1923 for about $25. As any collector will do, he began to study his newfound interest, and learned that paperweights were no longer being made. This sparked him in the early 1950s to persuade Saint Louis and Baccarat glass works and revive the art and begin making them again after a nearly 100 year hiatus. This re-introduction of the art served to whet the appetite of new collectors who were drawn by the formation of the Paperweight Collectors Association (PCA) which Jokelson founded in 1953, and was its president from 1953 – 1981. Their membership quickly grew from 75 collectors when it was founded to about 1800 members in 20 years. The manufacture of new paperweights helped to balance the increased demand of the many new collectors attracted to paperweights as a result of the formation of the PCA. Jokelson became a world authority on paperweights, and was a prolific author, publishing many paperweight-related books and articles. He built an enviable collection through the years, but never let it be more than 105 weights at one time by “trading up” and constantly improving the quality of his pieces. In 1983, Jokelson sold 71 of his contemporary and antique weights in an auction at Sotheby’s which realized over $500,000. After the auction he said, “They are as perfect as can be, lovely, rare, and I will miss them. I would like to think that the people who acquire my weights will enjoy them as much as I did, will admire them each and every day, and discover all the time as I did, new designs and canes, and the weights will be in their homes to see whenever they feel like it.”

Pal led a fascinating life, which could easily be the subject of an entire book – but collectors best know him for his role in reviving the lost art of making paperweights and for founding the PCA in 1953. He died in 2002 at age 97, and will be remembered through a scholarship fund in his name organized by the International Paperweight Society Foundation.

These very exceptional collectors through the years all had two things in common - first, a true passion for their collecting, and second, the privilege of having sufficient financial resources to build extensive collections of very rare and expensive weights. It is interesting to recognize that with all their wealth and exposure to other art forms, they chose to collect paperweights – a tremendous endorsement of this art form.

However, a privileged life is not necessary to enjoy one’s collection. Indeed, I believe that a collector with modest means can enjoy his collection every bit as much as a wealthy person does. The only differences between the two collections are really just the rarity of the items and the number of weights in their collections. The physical beauty and the creativity of the weights may be very similar. I also firmly believe the old saying that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

And so ends the section on the great collectors, fans of small glass art works!

Paul Stankard 1978 "Carolina Rose" faceted glass paperweight. A single pink wild rose with upright yellow stamens, two pink buds and green leaves and thorny stems, on clear ground. Five and one facets. Edition# 44 of limited edition 50. "S" signature cane. Diameter 2 3/4". The author of this book was able to buy a Stankard Carolina Rose (similar to this example shown) from the collection of Paul Jokelson and that was sold at the Sotheby’s 1983 auction he describes in this text.

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

For More Information Visit The Glass Gallery, L.H. Selman Fine Glass Paperweights

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a Passionate Affair VIII

One of the largest collectors in the late 1930s to early 50s was Egypt’s King Farouk, both by his girth and the size of his collection. Among paperweight collectors, he was certainly a legend because of his prolific collecting. Farouk became King of Egypt upon the death of his father King Fuad in 1936. It has been said that Farouk showed no aptitude for government, and had a blatant disregard for public well- being and morality. He was overthrown during a revolution in 1952, and his personal items were ordered to be sold. In 1954, Sotheby’s auctioned 600 of Farouk’s weights in the Koubbeh Palace, just outside of Cairo. The Sotheby’s auction catalogue made no mention of Farouk – they only referred to the weights as being sold as “The Palace Collections” and “the property of the Republic of Egypt”. Paul Jokelson attended the auction, and reported that about half the weights were quality items. Only about 30 bidders were present at the auction because of the location and political instability. Prices ranged from a low of about $6 to a high of about $850 for a fine Saint Louis encased double overlay with an upright bouquet. The auction netted only an estimated $40,000, or an average of about $66 per weight

Evangeline Bergstrom, the wife of a wealthy paper manufacturer, collected about 700 paperweights from 1935 to 1944. She began collecting at age 63. One of her significant contributions was the privately funded publication in 1940 of her book Old Glass Paperweights. It stimulated the interest in paperweights in America, much as the Way book did in England 20 years earlier. When Mrs. Bergstrom died in 1958, about 630 pieces from her collection formed the nucleus of the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum in Neenah, Wisconsin, which opened in 1959. Their collection has now grown to over 2200 paperweights through donations, bequests, and acquisitions. It is the largest paperweight museum in the world.

Morton Barker bought a green bottle-glass doorstop at an auction in the 1940s at age 52. This began an interest in glass, and in 1945 he and his wife bought their first paperweight when traveling in Mexico City. They collected for over 20 years until his death in 1967. Barker’s collection of over 200 of the finest examples of antique French paperweights was bequeathed to the Illinois State Museum where it is now “exhibited” in an interesting internet display on their website.

Amory Houghton built an outstanding collection over an approximate 50-year span. He began collecting in the early 1930s and admits the beauty and intricacy of paperweights first attracted him. His collection was singled out by Frank Manheim in his 1967 book, A Garland of Weights, as “one of the best private collections”, which attests to his lifelong emphasis on quality in every endeavor. He donated 288 weights of his collection to the Corning Museum of Glass over a period of years from 1955 to 1978, which formed the nucleus of the Corning Collection. Houghton was chairman emeritus of Corning Glass Works, and presided over the formation of Dow Corning Corporation, Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation, and the Pittsburgh Corning Corporation. He also oversaw the rebirth of Steuben Glass, the Corning Glass Center, and the Corning Museum of Glass. Houghton was also the United States Ambassador to France from 1957-61. He was a man who spent his life in the glass industry, yet, with all his wealth and exposure to the many different forms of glass art, he chose to collect paperweights.

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

For More Visit www.theglassgallery.com

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a Passionate Affair VII

Major Collectors of the Past

Paperweights have been collected since they were first made in the mid 19th century.  But because they were made for only a limited period, most of the very early collections began after production ceased.  Paperweights were certainly recognized then as being beautiful and tasteful.  Perhaps the impetus for collecting them was realized only after collectors became aware that paperweights were a limited commodity.  At the time, paperweights were still inexpensive.  The first collectors were the nobility and royalty, including Queen Mary, Queen Victoria, Napoleon III’s Empress Eugénie, Princess Murat, the Duke of Cardoza, and Mexican Emperor Maximilian’s Empress Carlotta.  Also included was literary dandy Oscar Wilde.  These were very wealthy individuals who obviously could have collected anything they chose, so one may question why did they choose paperweights that were relatively inexpensive at the time.  I think it must have been for their obvious attraction, beauty and sentimentality of a well-designed item that was no longer being made.

Several notable paperweight collections were gathered from 1900 into the 1940s, on both sides of the Atlantic.  The first significant collector of less than noble background who made an impact was an Englishman, H.W.L. Way, who began his collection in 1912, and wrote an article “Glass Paperweights” for The Connoisseur in 1920.  Way’s article was credited with stimulating the interest in, and the beginning of, modern paperweight collecting.

One of the major early collectors in England was Mrs. Applewhaite-Abbott who collected from 1900-1938.  She was a very wealthy lady who amassed a collection of 428 paperweights, but never paid more than £35 for any of her weights (a spectacular Pantin lizard).  She also bought the famous and rare Pantin Silkworms for £26.  After she died in 1938, her heirs tried to give the collection to the Victoria & Albert Museum, but they refused the donation, not recognizing its importance.  Her weights were stored until they were auctioned by Sotheby’s in two sessions (1952 & 1953) for a total of $89,319. a very substantial sum at the time.

Mrs. Jenny H. Sinclair, of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire collected from about 1918 until her death in 1965, when her fine collection of 439 weights was donated to the New York Historical Society.  This became one of the four greatest public collections in the world, and was displayed there until 1995 when it was auctioned by Sotheby’s, bringing in over $1.5 million.  It was the highest grossing sale at the time.

Z. Djevahirdjian, known to his friends as “Mr. Djeva,” began his collecting in 1922 as a 13-year old youth in Paris.  He became one of the most knowledgeable authorities, and built a collection of several hundred weights, which included about 65 of the world’s most sought after paperweights.  His weights were sold and today collectors praise this rare provenance.

Another collector at about the same time was Estelle Doheny, wife of the wealthy founder and chairman of the Union Oil Company of California.  She built an extensive collection of books, paintings, furniture, jewelry, paperweights etc., but after her husband died in 1935, she lost interest in acquisitions and began a philanthropic disposal of her collections.  About 1940, she split her paperweight collection, giving 212 antique paperweights of her extensive collection to the archdiocese of Los Angeles where they were displayed at the St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo California until they were auctioned by Christie’s in 1988.  In the early 1940s, she gave her remaining 154 weights to the St. Mary of the Barrens Seminary in Perryville, Missouri, a small town about 90 miles south of St. Louis.  They were displayed at the Seminary until they were auctioned by Christie’s in 2001.

The accompanying images show two historic catalogues—

the Sotheby’s (NYC) January 18, 1995 auction of the New York Historical Society’s collection from Jennie H. Sinclair and the Christie’s (NYC) 2001 auction belonging to the Saint Mary’s  of the Barrens.

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

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a Passionate Affair VI

Rarity of Paperweights

Some collectors place a high priority on the rarity of the items in their collections, and antique paperweights certainly fill that niche.  Because they were made as a fad for only about 10-15 years in the mid 19thcentury, there were not many made – and even fewer remaining today.  Paul Hollister, a leading paperweight scholar, wrote in his book, The Encyclopedia of Glass Paperweights, that only an estimated 50,000 paperweights of good quality were made by the French factories during the “classic period,” and that only about a third to a half of those have survived.  With major collections held in museums closed to the market, few are available to collectors.  Antique paperweights are in very high demand, and are priced accordingly.  Hollister says in his “Encyclopedia” that paperweights “cry out for a recognized place inn the hierarchy of beautiful objects made by man” and “the finest of them, created by true and great artists, rank with the finest illuminated manuscripts, the bronzes of Cellini, the boxes of Fabergé, or the portraits of the greatest of the miniaturists.”  Hollister also wrote in the preface of the book, Flowers Which Clothe the Meadows, that “Glass paperweights of the classic period are truly the crown jewels of collecting.”

Rarity is an interesting subject and difficult to put a value on.  Although most collectors place some value on rarity, some do so with a fervor! A common question is about the value of rarity versus beauty.  If an item is ugly but rare, should it be of more value than an item that is beautiful but common?  But beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, and some collectors may see a beauty in rarity, or at least they weigh the value of rarity more than beauty.  An example occurred some years ago in the 1997 Christie’s auction of the Henry Stern collection.  The auction included a very rare paperweight with a cluster of three potatoes, and not very pretty potatoes at that!  I thought the overall design was also poor.  But in spite of the subject, the weight sold for nearly $20,000.  Surely, the value the buyer placed on rarity was much higher than on design or beauty.  To other collectors, an ugly weight is still ugly, regardless of its rarity.  Some have argued that rare weights are rare because the maker was not pleased with the final product and chose not to make another. When rarity, good design and beauty are combined in a single weight, it is in much demand and the sky is the limit.

Rarity, however, is not limited to the antique weights made during the “classic period” of 1845-1855.  Contemporary glass artists, although having the technical skills to reproduce a design faithfully, will frequently produce very limited editions of from one to five weights of a single design.  Most of them work alone in small studios, and their creative talents allow them to come up with practically infinite interesting and innovative designs.  They have no reason to make large editions of a single design.  Economies of scale are not an issue in a small studio!  Therefore, very attractive and very rare weights are being made today and are available to contemporary collectors who also value rarity.

Please see the two paperweights illustrated here, by the artists Johne Parsley and Gordon Smith.  They are contemporary weights that are very limited in number and availability

Gordon Smith (2017) dragonfly over water lilies paperweight. An elegant pink dragonfly, with aventurine and purple latticinio wings, hovers above two blossoming pink water lilies and their green pads, which float upon a translucent blue pond. Clear, star-cut ground. Signature cane. Diameter 3 3/8".

Johne Parsley 1992 peaches and blossoms miniature faceted paperweight. A delightful gathering of two pink blooms, two crimson cherries and two blushing peaches is displayed against a fan of four variegated green leaves, over a translucent cobalt blue ground. Six and one facets. Signed/dated. Diameter 2 1/16".

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

For More visit www.theglassgallery.com

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a Passionate Affair V

Dwight Lanmon, former director of the prestigious Corning Museum of Glass, said he thought paperweights were “boring” before he became a staff member to Corning, home of the Houghton Paperweight Collection. Lanmon’s opinion changed dramatically after working with the Houghton paperweights, and he reports that he hasn’t had a boring moment with them since. He attributes his attraction to the imagination of their makers, who mastered a demanding technology and demonstrated an elegant sense of design.  He considers “paperweights to be among the most outstanding technical achievements in the 3500-year history of glassmaking.”  Lanmon admits that he considers paperweights to be unique, and important in the glass arts because of the magnifying glass dome, which gives them a magical appeal.  He thinks no other form of art glass takes such advantage of the magnifying properties of the glass dome.

The attraction of paperweights is not gender specific.  Although they are small and delicate, paperweights appeal to men and women equally. Indeed, some of the greatest collectors of all times were men. Famous collectors are described later in this chapter.

Because they are rare, fine paperweights are generally unknown to the general public.  But when they are introduced, paperweights have a universal attraction and almost magical fascination.  The public reaction is predictable when they first see fine paperweights and understand their history.  They are truly astounded by their beauty and history, and some have actually become speechless when they see paperweights for the first time.

The Alexander Gallery of fine antiques in New York City once described their experience with the attraction of paperweights. The gallery caters to collectors of a number of different genres of art, and each client is generally directed toward their selected interest – either to paintings, historical items, Indian artifacts or various decorative items.  Their clients usually tend to notice only those pieces in the gallery bearing relevance to their specific field of interest.  However, when the gallery started displaying a few antique and contemporary paperweights on a glass table, their staff noticed that each client who visited this room was startled by them, and simply stopped what they were doing to direct their attention toward the brightly colored glass weights.  They were immediately drawn to look at them, they then looked closer, and were eventually compelled to pick them up and hold in their hands. What is it that is so attractive about these colorful crystal objects that elicits this type of attention?

Paperweights simply have an almost magical attraction, and they present an irresistible urge to touch.  Indeed, for a fuller appreciation, paperweights should be touched and held in the hand to let the viewer gaze into its center and become lost in its magical beauty.

My wife, Joyce, and I have been volunteers as paperweight docents at the Forsythe Center Galleries at Texas A&M University, where fine paperweights are displayed.  The Forsythe Center Galleries, in addition to their outstanding glass collections of 19th century English cameo glass, French Gallé, American Tiffany and Steuben have had many paperweight exhibits over the years- including “The Art of the Paperweight, Challenging Traditions”, “Songs Without Words”, “A Texas Paperweight Celebration”, “A Natural Life: The Glass Paperweights of Paul Stankard”, “The Stars of Texas”, “The Outstretched Hand of Liberty”, and finally, the Ruth and Don Smith Collection that was exhibited as a loan before it was gifted in 2001.  In the process of being docents there for nearly eight years, we have talked with many thousands of people who had no previous experience with paperweights.  Most of them were astounded by their beauty and enthusiastic with their fascinating history.  We have seen people who, become actually speechless.  Of course, these weights are behind glass that prevents them from being handled, but even so, the visitors are enthralled.  It’s not unusual for them to actually bump their head or nose into the glass trying to get a better look!  We come away from the Galleries with a feeling of exuberance by introducing so many enthusiastic novices to the world of paperweights.  We wonder if any of them have eventually become collectors.

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

For More Visit: www.theglassgallery.com

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a Passionate Affair IV

Paperweights vary tremendously in value, depending on their craftsmanship, rarity, design, and beauty.  There are thousands of inexpensive and poorly crafted “bubble”, “ice pick” or abstract weights that are found in flea markets, souvenir shops and some gift shops.  There are also the beautiful, rare and well-crafted created creations that are considered true works of glass art.  We recognize that all paperweights are not created equal – there are good examples and there are poor ones!  However, we also recognize that these inexpensive and poorly crafted weights often play a valuable role as the catalyst for novice collectors to develop the interest to become serious collectors at a later date.

Before the 1960s, most collectors bought antique weights because there were very few modern makers of any quality.  But as the number of collectors increased in the 1960s and 70s, so did the number of skilled contemporary paperweights artists.  Collectors then had a choice between rare antique weights or less expensive modern weights that were in many cases, of higher quality than the antique! This enabled many collectors of modest means to enjoy building very attractive collections of high-quality paperweights.

The Attraction of Paperweights

One of the best descriptions of the visual attraction of paperweights was written by Timothy Novak in the preface of the Stars of Texas, a book published by Paperweight Press in 2003 to document an exhibit of the finest paperweights in Texas.  It follows:

“Glass paperweights may magnify, illuminate, and edify.  With the magnification of the classic glass dome, paperweights make us pay attention to every component of the glassmaker’s art shown therein.  – millefiori, lampwork, and sulphides.

These three techniques, the heart, and soul of nineteenth century paperweight making are in turn, rooted in the millennia of glassmaking, back to the trailed, core-formed vessels of Pharaonic Egypt.  Millefiori canes, as richly patterned as the glassmaker’s skill, ingenuity and patience will admit, translate in Italian as one thousand flowers, a name as poetic as it is true.  Lampwork decorations are pieced colored glass, once made over a small, oil-burning lamp, into fantastic and whimsical fruits, flowers and animals.  Sulphides are usually portraits in cast, slightly porous ceramic, which may appear silver when under the dome.

The glass dome illuminates through gathering, concentrating and dispersing light.  Glass, a super-cooled liquid, bends and changes light the same way that water does.

The stained glass of the medieval cathedrals was not only an optical phenomenon, bending and coloring the light; it was also a theological statement with light representing the illumination of the soul.

The glass dome of the paperweight edifies through its permanence. Once the millefiori, lampwork, or sulphide design is fixed under the solid glass dome, it cannot be touched or modified. Whatever the glassmaker wanted to say, or whatever the culture of the time valued and held dear, is fixed, untouched and untouchable within the dome. The surface may be scratched and marked by time—within it, the design and the sentiment are exactly as it left the glassmaker’s hand.“

The accomplished contemporary paperweight artist, Ken Rosenfeld, described his fascination and attraction of making paperweights. He wrote, “To me, it is perfectly natural and logical to work with the paperweight form. The circular shape is one of the most basic and primal in existence.  The idea of sealing an aesthetically created design under a dome of glass has a magical quality to it.”

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from  The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

For More Visit: www.theglassgallery.com

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One More Under Our Belt!

Yes, an old school expression for an old school (with a young heart) art form.  Auction 67 is history, and with 88% of the lots selling, it is also another success.  (62 of the 76 antique weights offered found homes amongst you.) We dearly hope you enjoyed it all.  The weights are, as I write this, being cradled up and shipped out to the winners, and many of you have just received them.  For those of you keeping score, you’ll notice Marty has been increasing the number of spin videos of premier lots; we hope they have helped give a truer sense of the spectacular presence of many of these artworks.  This writer believes that we would sell 110% of the lots were you all able to materialize in the gallery long enough to experience the paperweights in your hands.  Short of that we try to provide complete descriptions and offer always to send extra photographs including close-ups of anything you request.  And we welcome suggestions and corrections; how else would we keep improving?  We struggle with schedules all year, marking deadlines and back-dating the steps we need to take to meet them, so that, for instance, we can get all the Fall auction weights to you before the holidays.  Many of you have expressed surprise to realize we work at least two auctions in advance, with the next catalogue already designed and filled while the one before is just being newly unveiled.

We are continually working to balance the auctions as though we are tuning fine musical instruments.  Penelope conducts our tiny orchestra, while Ben composes the score.  There is the ratio of the antique to the contemporary. There is the desire to include all the artists we hold in esteem balanced with what works are available. There is the behind the scenes work of researching the most precisely possible technical definition and history of what can be an unusual or mysterious offering.  There is the detailed search for the market value and the absolute need to consider both our consignors and our collectors in arriving at a reasonable and rewarding amount for everyone involved.  The photographing, description writing, sequencing, and proofreading involved are exhausting.  Then we hold our breaths to see if the printers do a good job and get the auction catalogues to the mailing house in time.  Then we exhale for ten minutes until the bell rings for the curtain to rise on the bidding!

In between and all year long, we sell from the gallery, put out two to three brochures, a calendar, publish the occasional book (thank you John Hawley), host artist appearances (thank you, Mike and Sue Hunter and Alison Ruzsa) and attend PCA conventions (Norfolk and NEPCA). Molly (among performing so many other tasks) keeps you all well informed from behind the wheel of all our social media. It has been busy! In 2017 we were also gratified to be a conduit for an impromptu auction, GLASS FOR LIFE, initiated by Dave Graeber and realized by a dozen glass artists from around the country offering up their skills and artistry in a highly successful effort to quickly raise funds ($12,690.00) all of which went to alleviate the woes caused by Hurricane Harvey.  Between the highly dramatic weather patterns we’ve been experiencing and the always-challenging political and social landscapes worldwide, it’s been a daunting twelve months for many. We have, especially this year, been told again and again by you about the succor, inspiration, and regenerative power provided by the artworks in your collections.  Above the entrance to the lobby of the landmarked Fine Arts Building, wherein our gallery is located are the words,

“ALL PASSES — ART ALONE ENDURES”

We’re all in this together.  Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!

Ben, Penelope, Marty, Molly and Paul

…and D.J.

For More Visit: www.theglassgallery.com 

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a Passionate Affair (…deux)

It is interesting to consider what decisions caused paperweight production to decline and then cease both in Europe, and later in America.  Paperweights certainly hit the market initially as a fad, and perhaps after a decade of production, the fad was satisfied – the “newness” was gone. Also, many poor quality paperweights were made near the end of the period.  Perhaps these poor quality imitations discouraged the marketplace and helped ring the death knell.   Also, improving economies and prosperity during the late 1800s encouraged the glass factories to move from inexpensive low profit paperweights to higher margin products such as chandeliers, lamps, large vases, and the elaborate cut glass tableware of the American Brilliant Cut Glass period.

After about 1890, for the next 50-75 years, very few paperweights were made, and these were of generally poor quality. The skilled glassmakers who made these gems had passed on.  The secrets of their trade were guarded, and when the glassmakers died, their trade secrets went with them.  Nothing had been written or recorded about the techniques used in making them.  In the 1950s a new generation of glassmakers took notice of the paperweights made by their predecessors, and had to re-invent the art.  Interestingly, it took them several years to re-master the techniques.

Some of the first pioneers of the revival were Paul Ysart of Scotland, and Charles Kaziun in Massachusetts. They were producing interesting paperweights in the late 1930s.  The great French glass houses of Baccarat and Saint Louis began tor re-manufacture them in the mid 1950s, and the Scottish factories followed in the late 1960s.  Since then, talented individual artists have mastered the craft and have now taken it to new heights, unknown to the original masters.  Additionally, better glass, better colors, cleaner fuel and computer-controlled temperatures are now available.  The new generation of makers has been making paperweights for about 50 years and they now share their techniques rather than closely guarding them. The results today are indescribably creative, innovative, and imaginative works of glass art being produced that will be among the most sought after “antiques” a hundred years from now.

Next Week’s Preview…

CHAPTER ONE: Why Collect Paperweights Anyway? 

It has been said that as the human form developed, there were first hunters, then gatherers, followed by collectors.  But why, you may ask, do we humans collect anything – much less paperweights?  Frank Manheim, in his 1967 book, “A Garland of Weights” answered “As well ask why they fall in love, the reasons are as irrational, the motives as mixed…” One only needs to look at children to see they will pick up anything that is bright and colorful. Perhaps that proves that in spite of our numerical age, paperweight collectors are all still kids at heart! 

Thank You for Your Interest - To Be Continued Soon ! This has been a continuing Public Service Announcement from The Paperweight Lovers of the L.H. Selman Gallery.

Author - Art Elder

For More Visit Us: www.theglassgallery.com

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Orient & Flume 1984 Passion Flower Paperweight, By Bruce Sillars. By Orient & Flume

Orient & Flume 1984 passion flower paperweight, by Bruce Sillars. A large white passions flower, its petals edged with a hint of green, displays a diaphanous pink center with a tuft of orange stamens at its core, and seems pinned across a black opaque cushion by stems, leaves, buds and tendrils that reach downward to the base. Signed/dated. Diameter 3".

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Orient & Flume 1990 Two Candles & Holly On Iridescent White Paperweight. By Orient & Flume

Orient & Flume Art Glass 1990 candles and holly paperweight. A pair of red-striped white candles are bordered by green holly leaves, red berries, and a red and white twist bow, over an iridescent white cushion ground. Signed. Edition #1 of a limited edition of 250, by Greg Held. Diameter 2 3/4".

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Orient & Flume Art Glass 1988 Pink Rose & Bud Paperweight, By Bruce Sillars. By Orient & Flume

Orient & Flume Art Glass 1988 pink rose and bud paperweight, by Bruce Sillars. A full, three-dimensional pink rose, with a small pink bud and light green leaves, grows over clear ground. Edition #1 of a limited edition of 250. Signed/dated. Diameter 3".

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Orient & Flume 1976 bird and flowers surface design paperweight. by Orient & Flume

Orient & Flume 1976 bird and flowers surface design paperweight. A pulled feather design encircles the lower perimeter of an opaque golden orb on one side of which rise long stems crested by four pale blossoms and a perching, blue bird. Signed/dated. Diameter 2 15/16".

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Orient & Flume 91 Yellow Pan- sy & Buds Over Iridescent Blue By Orient & Flume

Orient & Flume Art Glass 1991 pansy and buds paperweight, by Greg Held. A yellow and brown pansy is bordered by a pair of sepal-cupped yellow buds, and rises from a cluster of three crenulated green leaves, over iridescent cobalt blue ground. Edition #17 of a limited edition of 250. Signed. Diameter 2 3/4".

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Orient & Flume Pink Iris Over Black Ground Paperweight, By Greg Held. By Orient & Flume

Orient & Flume pink iris over black ground paperweight, by Greg Held. A large pink iris, with deep ruffled petals and a yellow beard, is flanked by two leaves on either side, long, bladed and elaborately furled. The clear-encased design floats high above an opaque black cushion. Signed. Diameter 3 5/16".

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Pete Lewis 1974 Red Primrose Blossom Faceted Paperweight. by Pete Lewis

Pete Lewis 1974 red primrose blossom faceted paperweight. Five red petals, bordered in white, encircle a central stamen of six white and one yellow stardust canes, to form a delicate primrose flower. A thin green stem with two leaves supports the blossom and an additional four leaves radiating from between the petals. Clear ground. Six and one facets. Signature and date canes on the underside. Diameter 2 1/4".

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D'Albret 1969 Mark Twain Sulphide Faceted Paperweight. By D'Albret

D'Albret 1969 Mark Twain sulphide faceted paperweight. A white cameo of Mark Twain is centered on sunburst-cut, translucent aqua ground. Seven and one facets. Dated. Limited edition of 1000. Diameter 2 7/8".