Degenhart Paperweights for Sale

Allan's Paperweights

www.paperweights.com

Degenhart Paperweights for Sale

Most of the paperweights on this page are the work of the John and Charles Degenhart and their families. These paperweights are highly prized as examples of the upper Ohio Valley glass making tradition that includes Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. One of the fun things about collecting these weights is to contrast the different decorative styles used in decorating the plaque weights.

John Degenhart was born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1884. He started working in glass at the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Company factory in Findlay, Ohio at the age of ten. John's brother Charles, also worked at Dalzell. In 1901, both joined Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, Ohio.

The original paperweight production was the work of Charles and his two sons. John also produced paperweights to help meet the demand. This started as an after hours activity while the men worked at Cambridge Glass (with the approval of the company). John retired from Cambridge Glass in 1946 and opened the Crystal Art Glass Company shortly after that. Most of the early production was devoted to paperweights. The factory also produced pressed glass novelties in an incredible range of colors.

After John died in 1964, his wife Elizabeth took over production. Prior to that, the paperweights were unsigned. There was also a close association with Zack Boyd and his son Bernard, both of whom worked at Crystal Arts. Today in Cambridge, the Boyd family continues to run Crystal Arts.

For more information, you can read about the Degenharts in the books American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 and 1970) and Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. For these and other great references on paperweights, check out my list of paperweight books for sale.

If you would like to purchase any of these paperweights, e-mail me at: aport@paperweights.com

2237 Degenhart Name Paperweight    c.1930-50. Classic Degenhart paperweight with the name John J. Hamilton. This has a great large decorated plaque with a floral design having a stem and leaves and two yellow and two pink flowers placed near edges of the plaque. Each flower has a controlled bubble placed in the center. As is typical of the early 1930-1950s Degenhart paperweights, the plaque has a blue outer edge. There is a colorful frit layer at the same level as the plaque and a translucent red colored frit ground below.
Magnum Size: 3 1/2" diameter by 3" high. Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Unsigned.
$95 postage paid in the US.
Click on the picture to see a larger image.

803 Degenhart or Boyd Double Tree Paperweight with fake 1888 date. c.1955-68. Interesting paperweight associated with the Degenhart and Boyd histories. Purple design with fake 1888 date. There is a similar example in the Degenhart Museum in Ohio. The date is in the lower layer of the design. The black number is placed on a transparent placque that is almost invisible.
There really isn't a good name for these weights. I've always called them Tornado weights because of the way it resembles a twister. I've seen these weights sold on eBay as 1900s American antiques, but I believe that attribution is incorrect. The book on Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Florence calls them them double tree paperweights. The weights with fake dates were made by John Degenhart during the period 1955 - 1960 and later by Zack Boyd from 1964 - 1968. After John Degenhart died in 1964, Zack Boyd became the chief gaffer at the Crystal Art Glass Company (Degenhart's factory in Cambridge, Ohio) until he died in 1968.
You can read about Zack Boyd (1888 - 1968) and John Degenhart (1884 - 1964) in the book by American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 & 1970) and also Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. Both Degenhart and Boyd spent their entire lives as glass workers, mostly in Ohio.
Size: 3" diameter by 2 5/8" high. Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Sold
Click on the picture to see a larger image.

915 Degenhart Birthday Commemorative Weight    c.1930-50. Paperweight commemorating the birthday of Amaleen K. Khoury on August 16, 1908 in Brooklyn, NY. Beautifully decorated plaque with two bouquets of roses. This plaque was decorated by a different artist than the one above. There are two yellow and two orange/red flowers placed near corners of the plaque. Each flower has a controlled bubble placed in the center. There is a colorful frit layer at the same level as the plaque and an orange/red colored frit ground below.
This paperweight is characteristic of the later John Degenhart weights. They usually have a painting or picture on a white ceramic plaque. Degenhart almost always put four icepick flowers along the edges of the white picture plaque.
3 1/2" diameter by 2 7/8" high. Outstanding condition with no chips or cracks. A great example. Unsigned. Sold
Click on the picture to see a larger image.

1448 Degenhart Gearshift Knob Paperweight    c.1930-40. Charles and John Degenhart patented this unique automobile accessory on August 20, 1929. The knob consists of a Degenhart style paperweight personalized with the owner's name mounted on a threaded metal fitting. It is an early Degenhart item but still has the typical Degenhart construction of four colored flowers placed at the edge of a white decorated plaque. This one has two red flowers and two yellow flowers. The colorful frit layer is at the same level as the plaque. This example also has the patent date on the fitting "PAT. 8-20-29". Name of owner: P.V. Everts.
2" diameter by 2 5/8" high (with the fitting). Condition is a little rough with minor pitting on the dome. Unsigned. Sold
Click on the picture to see a larger image.

915 Degenhart Gearshift Knob Paperweight    c.1930-40. Charles and John Degenhart patented this unique automobile accessory on August 20, 1929. The knob consists of a Degenhart style paperweight personalized with the owner's name mounted on a threaded metal fitting. It is an early Degenhart item but still has the typical Degenhart construction of four colored flowers placed at the edge of a white decorated plaque. This one has two red flowers and two yellow flowers. The fitting appears to be chromed. A nice colorful example. Name of owner: John Stemm of Cleveland.
1 7/8" diameter by 3" high (with the fitting). Excellent condition. Fitting is a little banged up but the paperweight knob just sparkles. Unsigned. Sold
Click on the picture to see a larger image.

2237	Degenhart Name Paperweight c.1930-50. Classic Degenhart paperweight with the name John J. Hamilton. This has a great large decorated plaque with a floral design having a stem and leaves and two yellow and two pink flowers placed near edges of the plaque. Each flower has a controlled bubble placed in the center. As is typical of the early 1930-1950s Degenhart paperweights, the plaque has a blue outer edge. There is a colorful frit layer at the same level as the plaque and a translucent red colored frit ground below. Magnum Size: 3 1/2" diameter by 3" high. Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Unsigned. $95 postage paid in the US. Click on the picture to see a larger image.
803	Degenhart or Boyd Double Tree Paperweight with fake 1888 date. c.1955-68. Interesting paperweight associated with the Degenhart and Boyd histories. Purple design with fake 1888 date. There is a similar example in the Degenhart Museum in Ohio. The date is in the lower layer of the design. The black number is placed on a transparent placque that is almost invisible. There really isn't a good name for these weights. I've always called them Tornado weights because of the way it resembles a twister. I've seen these weights sold on eBay as 1900s American antiques, but I believe that attribution is incorrect. The book on Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Florence calls them them double tree paperweights. The weights with fake dates were made by John Degenhart during the period 1955 - 1960 and later by Zack Boyd from 1964 - 1968. After John Degenhart died in 1964, Zack Boyd became the chief gaffer at the Crystal Art Glass Company (Degenhart's factory in Cambridge, Ohio) until he died in 1968. You can read about Zack Boyd (1888 - 1968) and John Degenhart (1884 - 1964) in the book by American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 & 1970) and also Degenhart Glass and Paperweights by Gene Florence. Both Degenhart and Boyd spent their entire lives as glass workers, mostly in Ohio. Size: 3" diameter by 2 5/8" high. Excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Sold Click on the picture to see a larger image.
915	Degenhart Birthday Commemorative Weight c.1930-50. Paperweight commemorating the birthday of Amaleen K. Khoury on August 16, 1908 in Brooklyn, NY. Beautifully decorated plaque with two bouquets of roses. This plaque was decorated by a different artist than the one above. There are two yellow and two orange/red flowers placed near corners of the plaque. Each flower has a controlled bubble placed in the center. There is a colorful frit layer at the same level as the plaque and an orange/red colored frit ground below. This paperweight is characteristic of the later John Degenhart weights. They usually have a painting or picture on a white ceramic plaque. Degenhart almost always put four icepick flowers along the edges of the white picture plaque. 3 1/2" diameter by 2 7/8" high. Outstanding condition with no chips or cracks. A great example. Unsigned. Sold Click on the picture to see a larger image.
1448	Degenhart Gearshift Knob Paperweight c.1930-40. Charles and John Degenhart patented this unique automobile accessory on August 20, 1929. The knob consists of a Degenhart style paperweight personalized with the owner's name mounted on a threaded metal fitting. It is an early Degenhart item but still has the typical Degenhart construction of four colored flowers placed at the edge of a white decorated plaque. This one has two red flowers and two yellow flowers. The colorful frit layer is at the same level as the plaque. This example also has the patent date on the fitting "PAT. 8-20-29". Name of owner: P.V. Everts. 2" diameter by 2 5/8" high (with the fitting). Condition is a little rough with minor pitting on the dome. Unsigned. Sold Click on the picture to see a larger image.
915	Degenhart Gearshift Knob Paperweight c.1930-40. Charles and John Degenhart patented this unique automobile accessory on August 20, 1929. The knob consists of a Degenhart style paperweight personalized with the owner's name mounted on a threaded metal fitting. It is an early Degenhart item but still has the typical Degenhart construction of four colored flowers placed at the edge of a white decorated plaque. This one has two red flowers and two yellow flowers. The fitting appears to be chromed. A nice colorful example. Name of owner: John Stemm of Cleveland. 1 7/8" diameter by 3" high (with the fitting). Excellent condition. Fitting is a little banged up but the paperweight knob just sparkles. Unsigned. Sold Click on the picture to see a larger image.

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Revised 1/29/2007