French Baccarat Paperweights 3
| Among the many fine Baccarat weights, the fruit and vegetable subjects have an individuality which is especially pleasing to most collectors. After lavishing one's affection for a time upon the weights built upon abstract patterns, it is gratifying to turn to a subject that is extremely simple--a tiny decorative basket, for example, filled with flowers that will never fade; or a cluster of cherries, cool and juicy looking against a background of bright green leaves;
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| or the delicate radiance of a butterfly that has alighted on a summer flower.
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| These simple subjects also include dahlias in shades of white, pink and yellow, often with a bud and leaves. Frequently the crowns enclosing some of the finest of the weights in this group are faceted, and the facets interpose a serious obstacle when an attempt is made to secure adequate photographs.
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Discoveries are constantly being made in the field of Baccarat weights-and, for that matter, throughout the entire realm of paperweights. Collectors have been accustomed, for example, to look for the "B" over the date in all 1848 millefiori weights, but recently one was found in which the "B" occupied the center of a cane slightly removed from the date. Some day-who knows? -a yellow overlay may turn up to startle collectors. It is certain that much interesting information remains to be uncovered, although it scarcely seems likely that much will ever be known of the individual artists who produced the fine old weights, or of the "story" which doubtless lay behind many of their creations.
