Caithness Glass, Perth, Scotland, began operation in 1961. Paul Ysart worked there from 1962 to 1970. Over the years it grew to a company with upward of 300 employees, including some of Scotland’s finest glass workers and artists.
My personal interest in Caithness weights is focused on their crimp flowers, the best of which are excellent. Caithness was an enormous factory with hundreds of workers, producing a great many glass items in addition to paperweights. This led to Darwinian selections – some deserved extinction and others evolved to the apex of glass art. For a collector like me, with a liking for crimp flower weights, Caithness is a treasure trove. Caithness perfected numerous glassworking techniques (colored and textures grounds/ flashings, and such) that meld together at times to dazzle the mind. No other person or company in history produced such variety of incredible crimp roses.
PW1068. Caithness Symphony Limited Edition Museum Piece. Caithness made quite a few really great crimp flower weights and this is one. I’d call this a must-have for crimp flower collectors. It’s a beautiful piece with three simple elements that work in concert to give you this symphony (pun intended). The four crocus blossoms – pink, gold, violet, and white – rise from an alluring goldstone blue flash base as do a set of eight green leaves that seem to guard the delicate flowers. It’s an artistic achievement to bring this all together in glass. The base is etched Symphony, Caithness, Scotland 498/750. It was issued in 1983. The original issue price in the US was $130. It sold out. (Adjusted for inflation the issue price is $364.) Diameter is 3 1/16 inches; height is 2 3/4 inches; one pound and five ounces. Condition is perfect with negligible shelfwear. $125
PW3156. Caithness Opus ‘88 Limited Edition Magnum Museum Piece. Caithness made quite a few really great crimp flower weights and this is one of the very best. It’s the best standard size crimp flower they made in my opinion. The rose, with its lovely shading from white to pink at the center, rises from an earthy green ground, two rows of thin leaves, and a blue flash ground. The base is engraved Opus ‘88, Caithness, Scotland, Collectors Paperweight 1988, 886/1000. It was issued in 1988 and designed by Colin Terris. The original issue price in the US was $300. It sold out. Diameter is 3 1/4 inches; height is 3 1/16 inches; one pound and ten ounces. Condition is excellent. $160
PW1358. Caithness Fragrant Rose 1999 Limited Edition Museum Piece. This one has a beautifully formed pink and blue rose with four green leaves. It sits in clear glass over a dark amber ground that is encrusted with tiny black and white bits of frit that sparkle like diamonds and has green flashing on one side. I took images showing the stunning effects of the green flashing, The base is engraved Fragrant Rose Caithness Scotland 128/650. Condition is perfect as new with slight shelfwear. It had the protective rubber feet when I bought it. 239 were produced. It sold for $250. Design by Colin Terris who was a crimp rose master. 2 7/8 inches tall; 3 3/16 inch diameter; one pound and seven ounces. $150