Valentine's Day is exactly a week away, so lets switch gears a bit from strippers under clear plastic, to something a little more old fashioned, romantic, and under glass. This is one of the most beautiful paperweights I've ever seen, and depicts two lovers from long ago about to engage in some Victorian style smoochin' while surrounded by actual real encased items such as dried flowers, lace ribbon, and what appears to be either a small piece of braided rope, or possibly even hair (really hoping it's the latter!) A wonderful little scene presented with a great sense of color variety, depth, and textured detail. Slightly difficult to photograph from certain side angles, the polished glass is still quite clear, and the bottom side (not pictured) is covered in a piece of soft black felt. There isn't much information about anything similar to this online, but I was told that it was tagged as being from the early 1900's. Anyone know for sure?
4 comments:
Whoa, that is cool. Do you think that was a prefab kind of an item, or that the subjects of the colorized photo had it custom made with their own hairs and flowers and whatnot? I could imagine it both ways. I'd prefer the latter of course. Both because it would be such a lovely present, but also because I like the idea that there may have been a custom paperweight service for young sweethearts. "Thrill to the heights of fin de siècle romance while organizing your finances or filing taxes or any of the myriad former desktop drudgeries that can and will be elevated by this memento amor!"
Haha, I’m not really sure, tbh… I have seen glass paperweights like this with flowers inside, as well as the swirly bright color waves of glass you see inside of marbles, but never anything as elaborately designed around a picture of an affectionate couple. I suppose it’s possible that this was a commission piece though for sure.
That'd be quite the labor if it's hand made; you have to start with the base, put in the flower and picture and then cover those and then finally the top (or in reverse, so the top filled the bottom of the mold.)
The thing that surprises me is how pristine the colors are; I remember doing something similar in some art class when I was a kid and that paper weight is now very brown. This one is crystal clear!
This is a real beauty of a find.
I might be wrong, but on the fourth picture when I open the image and zoom in, I can see fine lines where the hands meet. The image of the couple could be a type of copy from a photograph or a printed image, similar to the way the image of President's are printed on our paper money.
It doesn't matter if the couple are photo or print this is still an incredible item, thanks for sharing.
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