Bohemian weights (Bohemia and Silesia)
Some say the first glass paperweights were made in Bohemia. If not first, they were a close second to Venice. Bohemia and Venice were both parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at times. Bohemian weights were made from the 1840s to present. Over the course of all those years Bohemian glass artists employed numerous techniques and produced many fine and fascinating paperweights that add an element of paperweight history and diversity to a collection. My estimated dates are ball park figures as accurate information is difficult to find. These weights are way undervalued which gives you a lot of history and artistry for excellent value. We use the term Bohemian a bit loosely and it may include areas that are currently in Germany, Poland, Austria, or Czechia. Historically the glass regions for central Europe were in Bohemia, Thuringia, Austria, and Silesia. The area has a rich history.
PW3010. Bohemian Museum piece. 19th or early 20th century. The butterfly has been the quarry of many a glass worker over the centuries, and many techniques have been employed in this quest. The age-old issue with glass manufacture is that unless whatever you add is made from glass, it will incinerate once it meets the orange-glowing molten glass of the paperweight making process. What we have here appears to be glass cloth with frit (crushed glass of assorted colors) painted on. Stunning in its simplicity. Condition is excellent for its age – nothing but expected perfect light shelf wear and light scratches. We have one of these on display in our living area. It’s nice to always have a butterfly hovering about, and it’s quite realistic from two feet away. 3 1/8 inches tall; 3 ½ inch diameter; one pound and fifteen ounces. $75. (It’s a hundred years old. How many wars did it miraculously survive with no damage?)
PW3087. Josef Riedl (Polann, North Bohemia (c. 1880-1890). This one is different from other Riedls I have owned. To me it has a more modern look. The green base is translucent, as if it’s the same green glass with more clear added. It has just a tiny amount of mica and has other colors of glass mixed in the swirl. The colors are brighter and some are different. One cane that repeats here in two color combinations is similar to the “pimento-stuffed olive” cane we see in other Riedls. The condition is original extra fine with light a few, hard-to-see, surface anomalies from the making (as if it brushed lightly against something after it was done but not yet annealed), some scratches (one of which is deep enough to feel with your fingernail— excellent for 120 years old), and light shelf wear – no significant issues. That said, this is the best Reidl I have owned (out of about 8 altogether). I suspect this to be a late Riedl. 2 3/4 inch diameter; two inches tall; thirteen ounces. $400