French, Baccarat Paperweights
Le Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat was located, as the name
indicates, in the little French town of Baccarat,in the Vosges Mountains
about 150 miles from Paris. The factory was originally established
under the name of le Verreriede Ste. Annein the year 1765. The first
company went into bankruptcy, however, at the beginning of the 19th
Century, and a high degree of success was not attained until the
enterprise was taken over in 1822 by M. Goddard, whose descendants still
carry on the business today. The proprietors of Baccarat looked far to
the future: they rebuked workmen who failed to send their children to
the school for craftsmen in glass, believing that the trade should pass
from father to son, and that the highest skill and traditions could only
be the product of more generations than one.
The Baccarat factory was the first to engage extensively in the manufacture of lead slass for windows and mirrors, and its colored glass was unsurpassed. This goes far to explain the fact that Baccarat paperweights rank first in quality, workmanship, and beauty of design. At the Baccarat factory, as at St. Louis, open pot over wood fires produced the superlatively clear, soft metal which contributes so much to the exquisite loveliness of the finest of the old paperweights.
The millefiori weights, supposedly originated in Venice about 1840, were made later in Bohemia, then at St. Louis and Clichy; but they attained their ultimate perfection at the hands of the workmen of Baccarat. The millefiori technique was also introduced into England, and weights of this type were in great demand in America from 1860 to 1880. Millefiori weights vary so widely in design, coloring, and size that it is easily possible to have a large collection entirely without duplications.
The millefiori weights, supposedly originated in Venice about 1840, were made later in Bohemia, then at St. Louis and Clichy; but they attained their ultimate perfection at the hands of the workmen of Baccarat. The millefiori technique was also introduced into England, and weights of this type were in great demand in America from 1860 to 1880. Millefiori weights vary so widely in design, coloring, and size that it is easily possible to have a large collection entirely without duplications.
A Baccarat millefiori weight can always be identified positively if the canes are arranged over a lacy background and it is signed with a "B." This letter was at one time believed to stand for "Bristol," but this was an error which has long since been recognized. The Baccarat identifying signatures are often as follows, with a slight variation in color.
"B.1846". The capital letter "B" appears above the date. The "B"is red. The figures "1" and "4" are blue, and "8" and "6" are red.
"B1847" The "B"is blue. The figure "1" is green, "8" and "7" are blue, and "4"is red. "B1848" The "B" is blue, "1" and "4" are green, and "8" is red in both uses.
"1849" So far as known the letter never appears over the date. The figures "1" and "4" are green, and "8" and "9" are red.
"B.1846". The capital letter "B" appears above the date. The "B"is red. The figures "1" and "4" are blue, and "8" and "6" are red.
"B1847" The "B"is blue. The figure "1" is green, "8" and "7" are blue, and "4"is red. "B1848" The "B" is blue, "1" and "4" are green, and "8" is red in both uses.
"1849" So far as known the letter never appears over the date. The figures "1" and "4" are green, and "8" and "9" are red.
| The dates 1847 and 1848 are most common in the Baccarat weights. Even if
the weight is not dated, however, you may be sure that it is a
Baccarat if you find in it a honeycomb or similar cane. The star-shaped
setups within the Baccarat canes are most characteristic, and they
frequently serve as backgrounds for the larger canes in the weight, as
well as for the centers of flowers such as pansies or dahlias. The
Baccarat pansy is easily distinguishable from that of any other factory.
It has two very large, deep-purple petals and three small dark blue
petals having a white heavily fluted outside rim and white veining. The
honeycomb set-up always marks the center and serves to set the Baccarat
product clearly apart from that of any other factory.
|
