Allan's Paperweights

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Vintage American Paperweights for Sale


The paperweights on this page are mostly from unidentified American glass companies.  I usually refer to them as Midwest US or Vintage American.  They may have been made in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, or even somewhere in Canada.

For more information about American paperweights from this period take a look at the book  American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers by Jean Melvin (1967 and 1970).   For some 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
 
 
585 Large Antique Footed Millville Umbrella Paperweight.  circa 1860-1910. This style of old paperweight is associated with Millville.  Examples date from as early as 1860 and continued to be made until about 1912.  Many, if not all, were made at the Whitall Tatum factory in Millville.  The design consists of a white mushroom shape with a center bubble.  Additional colored bits of glass are added and melted into the top.  Then the outer edges of the tent are pulled down to a number of points to form an umbrella shape with ribs or pleats.  This is a large showy example. 

The umbrella shaped weights were originally modeled to resemble the wild tiger lily of Southern New Jersey.  You can read about umbrella weights from Millville in the book Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersey:  An American Folk Art by Clarence A. Newell.   It is not possible to identify the exact maker, but John Ruhlander, Emil Stanger, Marcus Kuntz, and Horace Rhubarth, and Ralph Barber are all known to have made weights of this style.  Sometimes the style is also used as part of an inkwell or other object. 

Large Size:  Just under 3 1/3" diameter by 3 3/5" high.  The diameter of the foot is 3".  The bottom is finished although there is some remnant of the pontil mark.
Signature:  No signature, but I guarantee that this is an authentic Millville umbrella paperweight from the period 1860-1912.
Condition:  Very Good.  This paperweight has scratches on the side and some on the top plus good wear on the base.  Although the scratches are noticeable, the paperweight displays well.  No chips and no cracks. 
Execution: Very good.  Very well executed design that is well centered and displays all of the typical Millville umbrella characteristics.  There are some bubbles in the design.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Another large picture
Close-up view of side showing scratches
Top View
Bottom View
$645 postage paid in the US.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2758 Magnum Antique Graeser Loyal Order of Moose Paperweight.  circa 1890. This uniquely American style paperweight features a detailed image of a moose with very large antlers inside the circular logo "LOYAL ORDER OF MOOSE P.A.P."  On each side of the moose are two colorful hand painted floral sprays.  The Loyal Order of  Moose symbol is photographically reproduced in black and white.  The floral sprays are hand painted decorations.  Both are on a white enamel disk.  After the decorations were complete the disk was encased in glass.  The letters P.A.P. are an abbreviation for "Purity Aid and Progress."

The hand painted floral sprays are outstanding.  A wonderful paperweight.

Albert Graeser was a well known producer of photographic paperweights working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the 1890-1900 period.  He used a process patented by William H. Maxwell in 1882.  For more information on this style of paperweight see the article "Fraternally Yours" by William Price, Jr. in the 2001 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association.  This style of paperweight is also described on page 413 of American Glass by George and Helen McKearin. 

Magnum Size:  Just under 3 3/4" diameter by 2 1/4" high.  The bottom is ground flat and finished with a matte finish although there is a remnant of the pontil mark.
Signature:  No signature, but I guarantee that this an antique paperweight using the patented Maxwell process and is most likely a product of Albert Graeser.
Condition:  Very Good condition.  The paperweight has tiny scratches and flea bites, but no cracks or chips. 
Execution: Very good.  Very well executed design that is well centered with wonderful hand pointed florals. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile view
Side view
Bottom view
$175 postage paid in the US.

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Click on the picture to see a larger image
2743 Hugh Smith Cattails Paperweight.   circa 1969 -1975.  An unusual paperweight featuring a spray of three cattails and eight leaves placed on a green-brown jasper ground.   It is signed with an HS cane at the base of the cattails and also scratch signed on the base. 

A wonderful example of a rare style of paperweight.  Hugh Smith made only a small number of paperweights and many stayed in his family.  Please ignore the white areas in the pictures; they are caused by the light. 

Hugh Edmund Smith and Carolyn Marie Smith were paperweight collectors in Millville, New Jersey who also made paperweights from 1967 to about 1975.  Hugh used an HS cane and also sometimes scratch signed the base.  Both husband and wife usually made small weights featuring a single flower set on a contrasting jasper ground.  Hugh Smith also made some crimp roses.  Their work was considered good enough to earn an entry in  Dunlop's Dictionary of Glass Paperweights.

Size:  2 1/3" diameter by 1 13/16" high. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no scratches, chips or cracks. 
Signature:  Signed with an HS cane at the base of the cattails and also scratch signed Hugh Edmund Smith on the base.

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile View
Signature Cane
Signature on bottom
SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
3102
Large Ed Rithner Multi-Colored Candy Cane Millefiori Paperweight. circa 1940-1970.  A wonderful example of a relatively rare style of paperweight.  The millefiori canes are striped lengthwise and are placed over a transparent red  ground.  The canes are various colors of red, blue, green, yellow and white. 

A wonderful example of a relatively rare style of paperweight.  Please ignore the white areas in the pictures; they are caused by the light. 

Ed Rithner worked in Wellsburg, West Virginia from 1908 to the 1970s or later.  This is a well documented and unique Ed Rithner style.  A similar paperweight is shown and described on page 129 of  Jean Melvin's book on American Glass Paperweights and their Makers.  There is also a color photo of this style of paperweight with a white ground on one of the color plates between pages 48 and 49 in the same book.  All of Rithner's weights are unsigned. 

Large Size:  3 1/8" diameter by 2 1/4" high.
Condition:  Excellent condition for its age.  This example has a few tiny scratches or abrasions. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be a paperweight by Ed Rithner from 1940 - 1970.  The bottom finish is typical of Rithner, with the remnants of the pontil mark ground out with a frosted finish. 
Execution:  As is typical of Ed Rithner paperweights there are small bubbles in the design and a couple of areas where the candy canes do not cover the ground. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup View
Profile View
Bottom View
$145 postage paid in the US.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
838
Magnum Antique Union Glass (Somerville, Massachusetts) Paperweight "From Jeff to Tom (1913)".   circa 1913.  This is a great Union Glass Company Paperweight featuring a Boston & Sandwich - Lutz style Double Poinsettia in the center with six leaves.  The legend speaks for itself, this was a gift from Jeff to Tom.  The date is probably accurate, meaning the paperweight was most likely made in 1913, so it is 97 years old. 

Union Glass of Somerville, Massachusetts is the third of three related factories in the Boston area.  The first two were the Boston & Sandwich (B&S) Glass Company and the New England Glass Company (NEGC).  Both B&S and NEGC produced paperweights at the same time, both were founded by Deming Jarvis, and both declared bankruptcy in 1888.  Union Glass came a little later.  It operated from 1851 to 1929.  These name/date paperweights are made with lampwork flowers and letters and are not frit weights.  There are some nice articles in the literature including a lengthy article in the Paperweight Collectors Association 2004 Annual.  There is also a short chapter in George Kulles' third book - Identifying Antique Paperweights - The Less Familiar.  Nicholas Lutz worked at Union Glass from 1895 to 1904 and his influence can be seen on the Union Glass flowers although most of these weights were made after Lutz's death.  There is some current speculation that Lutz had an apprentice who continued to work at Union Glass and was responsible for not only some of the better Union Glass examples, but also some of the fine lampwork paperweights attributed to Mount Washington Glass. 

Very Large Size:  4" diameter by 2 7/8" high.   It weighs 3 pounds. 
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic Union Glass paperweight. 
Condition:  Excellent good condition with no cracks or chips.  The dome has some minor scratches.  The base has been ground concave which is unusual for a Union Glass paperweight.  It is possible that this was polished prior to coming into my possession. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Profile View
Another Profile View
Another View
$495 postage paid in the US. 

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
1466 Vintage Coal Breaker Souvenir Paperweight.   circa 1850 -1930.  Unusual paperweight made of coal depicting a scene at an coal breaker building, probably in Pennsylvania.  It  is designed to give the impression that it is carved from a lump of hard (anthracite) coal, but is most likely made from some form of reconstituted coal and pressed into a mold to resemble the original lump.  I can speculate the material is the byproduct of the coal.  The scene depicts a coal breaker facility with multiple railroad tracks going into the building and mining cars shown entering or departing.  The text at the top reads "Souvenir Coal Breaker."

A coal breaker's function is to break large chucks of mined coal into smaller pieces which are then washed, sorted by size, and graded.  They were common in Pennsylvania from 1800 to until sometime in the early 1900s when they began to be replaced by more modern facilities.  They were located near the actual mines.  For more information on coal breakers, refer to the Wikipedia article on coal breakers

Size:  Just over 2 1/4" wide by 2 1/2" high by 1 7/8" deep.  The design is on the front.  The back is molded to resemble coal.  The bottom is flat.
Condition:  Very good condition for its age.  There are a few scratches as shown on the picture. 
Signature:  Unsigned. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Another view of the front
Profile View
$44 postage paid in the US.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
825
Magnum Alex Stelzer Libbey Glass Name Floral Paperweight "E. BROWN". Circa 1915.  This is a desirable Libbey Glass Name Weight.   Four icepick flowers around a central icepick flower.  There is a central bubble in each flower.  The name “E. BROWN” is formed of tiny bits of clear glass.  The glass is grayish as is typical of Toledo folk weights. 

This style of paperweight is attributed to Alex Stelzer, a Czechoslovakian immigrant glassworker, who worked at Libbey Glass in Toledo Ohio from 1907 to 1948.  It is a folk weights made by the glass worker in his free time and often given away.  Stelzer had a friendship with Arthur Gorham, a well known paperweight collector and dealer who sold paperweights in his shop in Millville New Jersey.  The Stelzer name is spelled in some places as Steltzer.  The only printed reference I would find on Alex Stelzer was in the 1970 edition of Jean Melvin's American Glass Paperweights and their Makers.

Very Large Size:  3 1/2" diameter by 3 1/8" high.  The bottom is ground flat with a matte finish.
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic Toledo style paperweight, most likely by Alex Stelzer of Libbey Glass. 
Condition:  Excellent condition. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Top View
$195 postage paid in the US. 

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
1553 Robert Hamon Bicentennial 1976 Pedestal Eagle Paperweight. circa 1976.  This paperweight features a painted sulphide of an American eagle standing on a red,  white and blue banner.  The banner has the dates 1776 and 1976.  All this is over a red, white and blue frit or jasper ground. 

Robert Hamon of Scott Depot, West Virginia started making marbles and paperweights in the 1970s or possibly earlier.  He made a faceted version of this weight in a limited edition of 250, but I do not know if this is considered part of that series.  Possibly it is the prototype for the series. 

The signature on this paperweight not clear and does not appear to be Hamon's usual H signature, but rather appears to be a WV for Wheaton Village or West Virginia or possibly even an M or a W.  Two paperweight authorities have stated with certainty that they believe this to be a Robert Hamon weight.  You can read about Robert Hamon in Jean Melvin's book American Glass Paperweights and Their Makers

Size:  Just over 2 7/8" diameter by 1 9/16" high. Unusual pedestal with low profile. 
Condition:  Very good condition, although it does have one 1/4" impact mark on the edge.  The paperweight displays beautifully. 
Signature:  The bottom is hot stamped in a star pattern with signature in the center.  As stated above, the signature is unclear but does not appear to be Robert Hamon's usual hot stamped "H". 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Closeup of eagle sulphide
Profile View showing pedestal
Bottom including signature
Picture of damage on edge
SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2169 Magnum Ed Rithner Multi-Colored Umbrella Paperweight.  circa 1940-1970.  Great magnum umbrella flower paperweight by Ed Rithner.  The design consists of a green and red umbrella or tent with carefully placed bubbles placed around the outer edge.  There is also a large carefully placed bubble in the center.  The ground is a white flowerpot design. 

A wonderful example of a relatively rare style of paperweight.  Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. 

Ed Rithner worked in Wellsburg, West Virginia from 1908 to the 1970s or later.  This is a well documented Ed Rithner style.  A similar paperweight is shown on page 130 of  Jean Melvin's book on American Glass Paperweights and their Makers.  All of Rithner's weights are unsigned. 

Magnum Size:  3 7/8" diameter by just under 3 1/2" high.  This paperweight weighs about 2 1/2 pounds.  circa. 1940-1970.
Excellent Condition:  No chips or cracks.  No impact marks.  There are a couple of  misplaced bubbles and one stone in the glass (from the pot), but I could find no flaws.  The bottom finish is typical of Rithner, with the remnants of the pontil mark ground out with a frosted finish.  The glass has a slight greenish color as shown in the pictures. 

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2525 Remember the Maine Frit Paperweight.  circa 1900-1940.  This frit paperweight features an image of the 19th Century battleship USS Maine, which exploded and sank in Havana Harbor (Cuba) in February 1898.  The explosion led to the Spanish-American War which began in April 1898.  "Remember the Maine!, To hell with Spain!" became a common rallying cry.  The design is set in white frit over a smaller white ground made up of small icepick flowers. 

Because of the white on white design, this is a difficult paperweight to photograph.  There are many bubbles in the frit and in the lower icepick ground.  The actual condition is much better than it appears in the pictures.

I cannot be sure when or where this paperweight was made.  Possibly it was made in Millville, New Jersey in the first half of the 19th century, but many other factories made similar frit style paperweights.  Frit refers to the powdered glass used to make the design.  The design is set up in a metal die and then picked up with a gather of a ground color. 

According to Newell's Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersey, frit weights were made as early as 1863.  Newell identifies this style as a true folk art. 

Magnum Size:  Just under 3 1/4" diameter by 1 15/16" high.  Unsigned.  circa 1900-1940. 
Very good condition with some very minor surface wear.  No chips or cracks.   The pontil is ground flat and there is considerable wear on the base.  The dome itself is relatively clear with only a few minor flaws.  However, the wear on the bottom is visible from above and that contributes to the worn appearance of this paperweight. 

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
1040 Erickson Magnum Bubble Design Faceted Paperweight.  circa 1940 - 1960.  This large faceted paperweight has perfect execution.  There is a warm ruby pink center, surrounded by a layer of closely spaced controlled bubbles.  The paperweight has unusual faceting with 16 finger facets around the base.  All of this creates a magical appearance.  A wonderful paperweight.

As for origin, I have seen this paperweight attributed to several different factories, but I believe that it is by Carl Erickson of Bremen, Ohio.  An identical paperweight without the faceting is attributed to Carl Erickson in the book American Glass Paperweights and their Makers by Jean Melvin on page 58.  Other sources have attributed this to one of the Degenharts or even to a Murano factory.  It is, however, unlike any Degenhart paperweight and also different in construction from any Murano weight I have seen. 

Carl Erickson came from a line of glass makers and worked at Pairpoint Glass (New Bedford, Massachusetts), Libbey Glass (Toledo, Ohio), and Blenko Glass (Milton, West Virginia) before starting his factory in Bremen, Ohio in 1943.  He was born in 1899 and died in 1966.

Magnum size:  3 1/2" diameter by just over 2" high.  Circa 1940 - 1960.  I believe this to be by Carl Erickson.
Very good condition:  No chips or cracks, but it does have a small 1/8" circular impact mark near the top of the dome.  In the larger image I have added an arrow pointing to the impact mark.  It is difficult to see and I did not discover it until I took these pictures.  I have reduced the price because of this flaw. 

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2229 Rare Millville Style Busy Bee Frit Paperweight.  circa 1900-1940.  This frit paperweight features a Busy Bee motif with a honey hive and nine bees buzzing over it.  The design is set in white frit over a dark purple (almost black) ground.  The ground is almost opaque.  The glass has a turquoise tint. 

I cannot be sure when or where this paperweight was made.  Most likely it was made in Millville, New Jersey in the first half of the 19th century.  This type of construction has been associated with factories such as Whitall Tatum that operated in the early 1900s in the Millville area of Southern New Jersey.  Frit refers to the powdered glass used to make the design.  The design is set up in a metal die and then picked up with a gather of a ground color.  This weight has the typical Millville two piece construction, as shown in the side view (click on picture to see this). 

According to Newell's Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersey, frit weights were made as early as 1863.  Newell identifies this style as a true folk art. 

Magnum Size:  3 1/4" diameter by 2 1/8" high.  Unsigned.  circa 1900-1940. 
Excellent condition with some very minor surface wear.  No chips or cracks.   The pontil is unfinished.  Note:  With the rough pontil, this paperweight does not sit perfectly flat on its bottom.

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
1172 Vintage Ravenna Style Five Petal Lily Flower Paperweight. circa 1880-1940.  This paperweight features a five petal red lily flower with a multi-colored frit ground.  The ground has six pleats.  There is a carefully placed bubble in the center. 

This style is associated with the Ravenna Glass factory in Northeastern Ohio.  It is  called an icepick flower design because an icepick type tool is pushed down through the color to create a stem for the flower and also to create the pleats in the ground. 

Although the style is associated with Ravenna, I cannot be sure when or where this paperweight was made.  Most likely it was made in the first half of the 19th century. 

This style of paperweight was first documented in the article on Ravenna Glass by H. M. Lyon February 1940 issue of Hobbies Magazine (see pages 51-53).  The article has black and white pictures of four paperweights of this style.  There is also two similar paperweights in the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, one of which was acquired in 1941.  See No. 438 and 656 in Glass Paperweights of the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum by Geraldine J. Casper.

Size:  2 3/4" diameter by 2 1/4" high.  Unsigned.  circa 1880-1940. 
Excellent condition with some minor surface scratches.  No chips or cracks.   The base is finished with a frosted finish. 

$95 postage paid in the US. 

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2184 Vintage Magnum Trumpet Flower Paperweight.  circa 1950.  Great magnum trumpet flower paperweight by unknown maker.  The design consists double layer of a rust colored trumpet flowers or icepick flowers over a green and white ground. There are nine flowers in all, each with a deliberate bubble in the center.  The top layer has five flowers and the bottom layer has four.  This has all the characteristics of a true whimsy, made in spare time by a glass worker.  I believe this was made in the midwest US around the middle of the 20th century.

It is hard to see the details in the picture because of the uniform color.  The glass has a green color.

This design is sometimes called an icepick flower design because an icepick type tool is pushed down through the frit later to create the stems for the flowers.  In this case, because the bubbles and stems are so large, the took would have been larger than an icepick. 

Very Large Size:  Just over  4" diameter by 3 1/2" high.  This paperweight weighs 3 pounds.  circa. 1950.
Very Good Condition:  There is a 1/8" chip on the very top (visible in the right picture just to the right of the central bubble).  No other chips, but there some minor scratches.  No impact marks.  The bottom is partially finished. 

$40 postage paid in the US.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2185 Large Ed Rithner Think of Me Motto Frit Paperweight.  circa 1940-1970.  Motto weight with the saying "THINK OF ME" set in white frit (ground glass) above a cushion ground with four flowers.  Each flower has a carefully placed central bubble.  Frit design consists of the saying plus two daisy style flowers.  The smaller flower has a carefully placed bubble at its center.  Great execution and color. 

A wonderful example of a relatively rare style of paperweight.  Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. 

Ed Rithner worked in Wellsburg, West Virginia from 1908 to the 1970s or later.  You can read about Ed Rithner in Jean Melvin's book on American Glass Paperweights and their Makers.  All of Rithner's weights are unsigned. 

Large Size:  3 1/4" diameter by 2 5/8" high.  circa. 1940-1970.
Excellent Condition:  No chips or cracks.  No impact marks.  There is some debris in the glass.  This is common in Rithner paperweights.  The bottom finish is typical of Rithner, with the remnants of the pontil mark ground out with a frosted finish.  The glass has a slight greenish color as shown in the pictures. 

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2173 Antique Graeser Masonic Paperweight.. circa 1890. This uniquely American style paperweight consists of a Masonic symbol and two floral sprays.  The Masonic symbol, composed of the square and compass with a G surrounded by rays in the center, is photographically reproduced in black and white.  The floral sprays are hand painted decorations.  Both are on a white enamel disk.  After the decorations were complete the disk was encased in glass. 

The hand painted floral sprays are outstanding.  A wonderful paperweight.

Albert Graeser was a well known producer of photographic paperweights working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the 1890-1900 period.  He used a process patented by William H. Maxwell in 1882.  For more information on this style of paperweight see the article "Fraternally Yours" by William Price, Jr. in the 2001 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association.  This style of paperweight is also described on page 413 of American Glass by George and Helen McKearin. 

Magnum Size:  3 1/2" diameter by 2 1/2" high.  Unsigned, but similar signed examples are known to exist.  c1890.
Excellent condition with one 1/2" scratch on the side (barely visible in the side view at the 8 pm position).  The printed image of the square is incomplete. 

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2278 Vintage Magnum Trumpet Flower and Lily Paperweight.  circa 1930-1950.  Great magnum trumpet flower paperweight by unknown maker.  The design consists of a red and yellow five petal lily surrounded by a multi-colored bouquet of five trumpet flowers or icepick flowers (red, green, blue and white).  The ground is clear.  There are six flowers in all each with a large bubble in the center.  The glass has a slightly pink color.

The design is on two layers.  This has all the characteristics of a true whimsy, made in spare time by a glass worker.  I believe this was made in the midwest US around the middle of the 20th century.  A very showy paperweight. 

This design is sometimes called an icepick flower design because an icepick type tool is pushed down through the frit later to create the stems for the flowers.  In this case, because the bubbles and stems are so large, the took would have been larger than an icepick. 

Very Large Size:  Just over  3 1/2" diameter by 3 1/2" high.  This paperweight weighs just over two pounds.  circa. 1930-1950.
Very good condition:  No chips or cracks, with the exception of one very small (1/8") chip right at the base.  No impact marks.  There are a few very minor scratches on the surface.  The bottom is finished flat.

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2266 Ed Rithner Red and White Speckled Flower Paperweight.  circa 1940-1970.  An upright flower with eight red and white speckled petals over a red and white speckled cushion ground.  The cushion ground has four red flowers each with a carefully placed bubble in the center.  There is also a planned bubble in the center of the larger flower at the top.  A classic Rithner design.. 

Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. 

Ed Rithner worked in Wellsburg, West Virginia from 1908 to the 1970s or later.  You can read about Ed Rithner in Jean Melvin's book on American Glass Paperweights and their Makers.  All of Rithner's weights are unsigned. 

A similar paperweight sold for $173 in Selman's Spring 2007 Auction (see lot 106). 

Size:  2 7/8" diameter by 1/2" high.  circa. 1940-1970.
Excellent Condition:  No chips or cracks.  No impact marks.  Clear glass.  The bottom finish is typical of Rithner, with the remnants of the pontil mark ground out with a frosted finish.  . 

SOLD

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2573
Magnum Antique Union Glass (Somerville, Massachusetts) Paperweight "THOMAS KENNY 1923". Circa 1923.  This is a fantastic Union Glass Company Paperweight featuring a Boston & Sandwich - Lutz style Double Poinsettia in the center with five leaves.  There is an outer garland of red and blue flowers. The legend has crisp white lettering "THOMAS KENNY 1923". The date is probably accurate, meaning the paperweight was most likely made in 1923, so it is 87 years old. 

Union Glass of Somerville, Massachusetts is the third of three related factories in the Boston area.  The first two were the Boston & Sandwich (B&S) Glass Company and the New England Glass Company (NEGC).  Both B&S and NEGC produced paperweights at the same time, both were founded by Deming Jarvis, and both declared bankruptcy in 1888.  Union Glass came a little later.  It operated from 1851 to 1929.  These name/date paperweights are made with lampwork flowers and letters and are not frit weights.  There are some nice articles in the literature including a lengthy article in the Paperweight Collectors Association 2004 Annual.  There is also a short chapter in George Kulles' third book - Identifying Antique Paperweights - The Less Familiar.  Nicholas Lutz worked at Union Glass from 1895 to 1904 and his influence can be seen on the Union Glass flowers although most of these weights were made after Lutz's death.  There is some current speculation that Lutz had an apprentice who continued to work at Union Glass and was responsible for not only some of the better Union Glass examples, but also some of the fine lampwork paperweights attributed to Mount Washington Glass. 

Very Large Size:  3 5/8" diameter by 2 7/8" high.   It weighs 2 1/2 pounds.  The bottom is ground flat.
Signature: Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be an authentic Union Glass paperweight. 
Condition:  Excellent good condition with no cracks or chips.  The dome is almost scratch free, but there are a few minor scratches.  The base has been ground flat and also has minor scratches. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

Large picture of the paperweight
Close-up view
Profile View
Bottom View
$595 postage paid in the US. 

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Click on the picture to see a larger image
2175 Large Lampwork Name Paperweight - Christian + Lizzie Rolfes. circa 1900-1940.  This paperweight consists of various strands of millefiori twist with the name formed from lampwork letters placed on solid white strips of glass.  Underneath the names are five yellow icepick flowers over a multi-colored frit glass ground. 

Unfortunately, this paperweight has a large crack completely across the center as shown in the pictures.  Normally, I would put this in the trash bin, but have decided to offer it for sale because of the rarity of this type of paperweight.

The origin of this style of paperweight has been the subject of much conjecture.  Several authors have suggested that at least some of the paperweights done in this style were made by Ralph Barber or another maker at Millville, NJ.  Barber worked at Whitall Tatum, Vineland Flint Glass, and also at Kimble Glass.  Other weights in a similar style have been attributed to unknown midwest makers.  See the article "ANOTHER Ralph Barber Lampwork Name Paperweight (and many more)" by Stanley Kruger in the 2004 Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association or Clarence Newell's Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersey

Very Large Size:  Just over 3  3 /8" diameter by 2 7/8" high.  Circa. 1900-1940.
Terrible condition: The paperweight is cracked across the center.  Other than the crack, there are no chips or other damage.  The bottom is fire finished. 

$35 postage paid in the US.

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Click on the picture to see a larger image
2225 Vintage Magnum White Flower Paperweight.  circa 1950.  This magnum paperweight contains a white lampwork flower constructed from five white glass rods with a bubble in the center.  There is a red, white, and blue ground.  This has all the characteristics of a true whimsy, made in spare time by a glass worker.  I believe this was made in the midwest US around the middle of the 20th century.  The glass is slightly gray in color. 

A unique item.  I have not seen another paperweight like this.

Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. 

Very Large Size:  4" diameter by 3 1/8" high.  This paperweight weighs just over 2 1/2 pounds.  circa. 1950.
Very Good Condition:  There is an internal stress fracture in the multi-colored ground.  Also some irregular areas on the surface.  Both flaws occurred when the paperweight was made.  No other noticeable flaws.  No impact marks.  The bottom is partially finished. 

SOLD 

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Click on the picture to see a larger image
2608 Vintage Steuben Teardrop Spiral Cane Paperweight.  circa 1950s -1960s.  Wonderful Steuben Teardrop Spiral Paperweight consisting of an eight rod ribbon of white glass wrapped in a spiral around a central teardrop shaped bubble.  A wonderful example of this design.

This Steuben paperweight is designated model number 8029 and appeared in the Steuben catalog in 1952.  It was designed by Steuben senior designer George Thompson in 1937.  Thompson received architectural degrees from the University of Nebraska and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Designs by Thompson were included in every Steuben exhibition from 1937 through his retirement in 1974. 

Steuben Glass was founded in Corning, New York in 1903 by Thomas G. Hawkes, president of T.G. Hawkes and Company, a glass-engraving firm, and by Frederick Carder, an English glassmaker specializing in colorful, art nouveau art glass typical of the period.  It was acquired by the Corning Glass Works in 1918.  Colored glass was phased out in 1933 and since then Steuben has been known for its very high quality, extremely refractive decorative glass objects. 

Large Size:  3” diameter by 3 3/8” high. 
Condition:  Excellent Condition.  No chips or cracks or scratches other than minor wear on the base. 
Signature:  The bottom ground flat and is engraved Steuben.   circa. 1950-1960. 
Execution:  Perfect execution. 

SOLD

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1062 Large Anthony "Tony" DePalma Christmas Frit Paperweight.  circa 1980-1990.  Christmas paperweight with holly leaf and four red berries over a snow white ground.  There is a layer of controlled bubbles beneath the frit layer.  Great execution and color.  It hot stamped on the pontil A. DePalma. 

Frit refers to the powdered glass used to make the design.  The design is set up in a metal die and then picked up with a gather of a ground color.  In this case, Tony started with a bottom ground of white, then added a second layer of clear glass.  The bubble layer was added by pressing the clear layer into a mold.  Then the holly and berry frit layer was picked up and the final layer of clear glass was added. 

A wonderful example of Tony DePalma's work.  Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights. 

Tony DePalma started as paperweight making as a volunteer at Wheaton Village in Millville, NJ in 1977.  From 1990 to 2000 he worked there full time. 

Large Size:  Just over 3 1/4" diameter by 3" high.  circa. 1980 -1990.
Excellent Condition:  No chips or cracks.  No impact marks. 

SOLD

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2208 Early Pairpoint Millefiori  Paperweight.  circa 1970.  Patterned millefiori arrangement of seven millefiori canes and eight latticinio twists over an almost opaque pink ground. 

Although the execution is somewhat primitive, this is an interesting historical addition to your Pairpoint collection. 

Ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights.

Pairpoint Glass has a long history extending back to its earliest origins with Mount Washington Glass in 1837.  Owners and locations changed a number of times and the name Pairpoint was first used in the 1890s.  The original Pairpoint companies were located in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  Based on the relatively primitive style of millefiori, I believe this paperweight dates from 1970-1971.  That would make it an early example probably made in New Bedford prior to the move to Sagamore on Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1972. 

Size:  2 3/4" diameter by 2 1/8" high.  Excellent condition with no chips or cracks.  The base is ground flat.

SOLD

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2461 Ed Rithner Red and Red and Yellow Eight Petal Flower Paperweight. circa 1940-1970.  An upright flower with eight red and yellow speckled petals over a red and yellow speckled cushion ground.  Each petal has a white outline.  The cushion ground has four red and yellow flowers each with a carefully placed bubble in the center.  There is also a planned bubble in the center of the larger flower at the top.  A classic Rithner design.. 

Please ignore the white areas, they are glare from the lights.

Ed Rithner worked in Wellsburg, West Virginia from 1908 to the 1970s or later.  You can read about Ed Rithner in Jean Melvin's book on American Glass Paperweights and their Makers.  All of Rithner's weights are unsigned. 

A similar paperweight sold for $173 in Selman's Spring 2007 Auction (see lot 106). 

Large Size:  3 1/16" diameter by 2 1/3" high. 
Condition:  Excellent condition with no condition issues.   I could find only one small scratch on the surface. 
Signature:  Unsigned, but I guarantee this to be a paperweight by Ed Rithner from 1940 - 1970.  As is typical of Ed Rithner paperweights there are small bubbles in the design.  The bottom finish is typical of Rithner, with the remnants of the pontil mark ground out with a frosted finish.  The glass has a slight tint of color. 
Execution:  Excellent execution.  Rithner weights sometimes have a sparkly appearance caused by incompatibilities between the types of glass.  This weight shows that effect. 

For extra pictures, click on the picture at the right and the following links:

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SOLD

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Revised 11/23/2011