Paperweight Making 7
__Various cuttings are found on the bases of paperweights. In the small common star, which came into use about 1830, the cutting forms a complete circle. This replaced the pontil mark, which frequently left an unfinished appearance if not carefully smoothed off. The large star extending to the outside rim followed this. The flash star, which became popular around 1850, was divided into eight or twelve sections to form a star or a star within a star. The pattern star has points measured to the same radius, but forming a block diamond effect. This was used from 1890 to 1900. Clichy used the star, as well as the star and mitre cutting. The small diamond cutting appears both on the Clichy weights and those of Baccarat.
The punty is found in many Baccarat weights-a concave cutting which decreases the apparent size of the pattern instead of giving it the usual magnification. This concave cutting in the weights sometimes served the purpose of a wafer glass.
Some subjects are used much more rarely than others. As anyone will have observed, who has studied any considerable number of paperweights, lizards are perhaps the most rare of all subjects; snakes next; and others follow approximately this descending order of rarity: millefiori, fruits, vegetables, butterflies, flowers.
The punty is found in many Baccarat weights-a concave cutting which decreases the apparent size of the pattern instead of giving it the usual magnification. This concave cutting in the weights sometimes served the purpose of a wafer glass.
Some subjects are used much more rarely than others. As anyone will have observed, who has studied any considerable number of paperweights, lizards are perhaps the most rare of all subjects; snakes next; and others follow approximately this descending order of rarity: millefiori, fruits, vegetables, butterflies, flowers.
_The foregoing sketch of the method used in making paperweights is presented less with the thought of absolute technical accuracy and completness than to provide collectors with a fair understanding of the means and methods by which various results were accomplished. A weight turns up now and then which appears to fit into none of the usual identification patterns, but which, if it is well made, is nevertheless worth keeping.
Eventually, no doubt, more will be discovered of it's origin and history. Much of the pleasure of collecting arises from the gradual growth of our knowledge of a subject which not so long ago emerged from almost complete obsecurity. Half the pleasure of collecting paperweights resides in their endless diversity and the individual nature of the art which went to make them. The early weights are seldom duplicated. A workman almost never repeated a pattrn exactly. He thought out his design after the day's work was finished, and his conception was doubtless elaborated throughout the process of creating it. In this modern day when the machine multiplies the same thing ten thousand or a million times, it is no little thing to reflect that the weight maker's art was not only original, but that almost every piece which came from his hand was unique.
Eventually, no doubt, more will be discovered of it's origin and history. Much of the pleasure of collecting arises from the gradual growth of our knowledge of a subject which not so long ago emerged from almost complete obsecurity. Half the pleasure of collecting paperweights resides in their endless diversity and the individual nature of the art which went to make them. The early weights are seldom duplicated. A workman almost never repeated a pattrn exactly. He thought out his design after the day's work was finished, and his conception was doubtless elaborated throughout the process of creating it. In this modern day when the machine multiplies the same thing ten thousand or a million times, it is no little thing to reflect that the weight maker's art was not only original, but that almost every piece which came from his hand was unique.
