The Italian Barbers. Scarce South Jersey-Italian hybrids. These are a category of extra-magnum pedestal weights that date to the 1960s and 1970s, plus or minus. In my opinion they are overlooked. These are great weights – very well made with the classic, elegant design of a single bloom captured in glass. I took some of these to the Tacoma convention to show to Gay LeCleire Taylor, formerly of the glass museum in Wheaton. She was giving a talk on New Jersey crimp roses and she knows her Old Jersey glass. I thought some of these were close to some of the Old Jersey stuff and especially a few with significant footwear. She told me that back in the 1960s and 1970s the proprietor of the major retail glass shop in Wheaton worked with glass artists in Italy to make copies of some of Ralph Barber’s work. Who could blame him? He probably got tired of ten people a day asking him if he had any Ralph Barbers. I am not sure if the Italian company already made such pedestal weights or if this started it all. I am also not sure that all of these are from the same maker, but I suspect they are. Bottom line: these are a top pick – cool weights for a low price. I call them Italian Barbers kind of as an inside joke. Some of these are an attempt to copy Barber by Italians, hence Italian Barbers, but also when I was a kid the barbers I went to in were always born in Italy. You could get a haircut and place your bet at the track in Saratoga at the same time. This was in New York in the 1950s. (The haircut was 50 cents.) Within the category of Italian Barbers, I am including similar pedestal and other style flower weights that appear to be from the same maker. Some of these also may be (almost certainly are) attempts at copying sought-after Millville weights like the parrot tulip in addition to the roses – others may just be newly inspired. Since the globe portion is essentially a sphere, it flips images when you look through it. Darn well made glass. And heavy. These will generally weigh two pounds or more.
PW2398. Italian Barber. Murano Magnum Crimp Rare Parrot Tulip Pedestal Museum Piece. Stunning and expertly made. Flat polished base. Probably 1960s-1970s-ish. The glass is beautiful crystal, and the orb is nearly a perfect sphere. The tulip is perfect and centered with yellow stamen. The shimmering aventurine surface is incredible. Condition is excellent, as if you just bought it from the glassmaker. 3 3/4 inch diameter orb; 4 3/4 inches tall; two pounds and fifteen ounces. $400
PW1000. Italian Barber Family. Murano Magnum Crimp Flower Pedestal Museum Piece. Very nicely made flower with much eye appeal. Flat polished base in center that is beveled to the edges. Shelf wear as may be expected. Probably 1960s- 1970s. It’s a sculptural piece. The glass is beautiful crystal. There is something alluring about the softness of the flower and the way the center petals have yellow edges. Made by a master. Condition is excellent. 3 3/4 inch diameter orb; five inches tall; three pounds and four ounces. $125
PW2885. Italian Barber. Murano Magnum Crimp Rose Pedestal Museum Piece. Stunning and expertly made. Flat polished base. Probably 1960s-1970s-ish. The glass is beautiful crystal, and the orb is nearly a perfect sphere. The rose is perfect and centered. The rose is one of the best I have seen from any maker. It looks about perfect until you zoom in on the side where there are some scratches. I didn’t notice them until I put it under bright lights to photograph it. 3 1/2 inch diameter orb; 4 3/4 inches tall; two pounds and ten ounces. $125
PW2537. Italian Barber Family. Murano Magnum Crimp Flower Pedestal Museum
Piece. Very nicely made flower with unusual petals in two colors that nicely complement each other. Flat polished base in center that is beveled to the edges. Almost no shelf wear. Probably 1960s- 1970s. It’s a sculptural piece. The glass is beautiful crystal. Made by a master. Condition is excellent. 3 1/2 inch diameter orb; 4 3/4 inches tall; two pounds and ten ounces. $125
PW2538. Italian Barber Family. Murano Magnum Crimp Crocus Pedestal Museum
Piece. Very nicely made flower with much eye appeal. Condition is excellent. Flat polished base with slight shelf wear. Probably 1960s- 1970s. It’s a sculptural piece. The glass is beautiful crystal. 3 3/4 inch diameter orb; five inches tall; three pounds and one ounce. $85
PW2986. Italian Barber. Murano Magnum Faceted Crimp Rose Pedestal Museum Piece, after Ralph Barber. Pink and white crimp rose within five green sepals. The rose is precise and beautifully shaded pink and white. Expertly made with flat facets. Flat polished base with very little shelf wear. Probably 1960s-1970s. The glass is beautiful crystal and the orb is nearly a perfect sphere. Condition is excellent. 3 5/16 inch diameter orb; 4 5/8 inches tall; two pounds and six ounces. $150
PW2969. Italian Barber. Murano Magnum Crimp Rose Pedestal Museum Piece. Stunning and expertly made. Flat polished base. Probably 1960s-1970s-ish. The glass is beautiful crystal, and the orb is nearly a perfect sphere. The rose is perfect and centered. Condition is excellent, as if you just bought it from the glass maker. 3 1/4 inch diameter orb; 4 1/2 inches tall; two pounds and seven ounces. $250
PW3162 Millville or Murano Magnum Crimp Rose Pedestal Museum Piece. This is the most beautiful large crimp rose I have seen. I am unsure of the origin. The base was made separately from the orb and then fused together. This is different from all of the “Italian Barbers” I have seen. Although the glass on the orb is in perfect condition, the base shows very fine shelfwear, indicating to me that it has some age. The process of making the rose is also different than what I have seen in the Murano Millville knockoffs – the hole made by the pontil goes all the way through. I am not an expert on Old Millville weights, but I think it may be one. I cannot guarantee that. Whatever it is, it’s a real beauty. Flat polished base. 3 3/4 inch diameter orb; 5 inches tall; three pounds and two ounces. $400