Pear-Shaped Paperweights
Today’s Museum Monday treasure from the Museum of American Glass in WV is a cobalt iridescent pear paperweight made by Gibson Glass in 1998. Pear-shaped paperweights have always been popular, and we have two others made by Gibson, one with flowers inside, paperweight style, and one in Burmese carnival. Charles Gibson was an experienced West Virginia glass artisan. Other West Virginia pears in our collection include two from Pilgrim and examples from Blenko and Rainbow, as well as a Celso Lopez pear. Ohio is represented by pears from Joe Rice and Orie Mitchell at Tiffin. From farther afield, we have a mini pear from Levay Glass Works and a beautiful ruby pear made by Chet Cole in Vermont. We end our brief survey with a couple of unknown pieces. Who knew pears came in so many shapes and colors?
Pear-01
Figure 1. Gibson Glass pear paperweight. Cobalt carnival. Carbon stamped on the bottom: “GIBSON / 1998.” 5 ¼” high.
Pear-02
Figure 2. Gibson Glass No. 36 Floral Pear paperweight. Clear with multi-color flowers on green and white pillow with air traps below flowers and in flower centers. Green stem and leaf. Embossed on bottom: “GIBSON.” 5” high.
Pear-03
Figure 3. Gibson Glass Pear paperweight. Burmese carnival. Embossed on bottom: “GIBSON / 1997.” 4 ½” high.
Pear-04
Figure 4. Pilgrim Glass Corporation No. 106 pear paperweight. Amberina satin. Blown. Silver foil label “PILGRIM / HANDBLOWN GLASS.” 4 ½” high.
Pear-05
Figure 5. Pilgrim Glass Corporation pear paperweight. Clear with swirled blue and cranberry and controlled bubbles. Foil label: “PILGRIM / GLASS / HAND MADE.” 6 ¼” high.
Pear-06
Figure 6. Blenko Glass Company pear. Bittergreen. From the collection of Elizabeth Degenhart. Part of the Degenhart Paperweight & Glass Museum display, gift of her estate in April 1978. 5 ¾” high.
Pear-07
Figure 7. Rainbow Art Glass Company No. C840 pear paperweight. Clear cased over blue. Pear shaped weight with blue core, controlled air trap, then crystal, with blue frit stem. 5 ½” high.
Pear-08
Figure 8. Celso Lopez pear paperweight. Yellow core with controlled bubbles, cased in clear. Signed on the bottom: “Celso.” 5 ½” high.
Pear-09
Figure 9. Joe Rice pear paperweight. Yellow cushion with controlled bubbles cased in clear, green and clear leaf and stem. Embossed on the bottom: “Joe / 2003 / Rice.” 4 ½” high.
Pear-10
Figure 10. Tiffin Glass Company pear paperweight. Cornsilk (yellow). With controlled bubbles and large interior hollow. Foil label: “HAND MADE / TIFFIN.” Signed on the bottom: “O. M.” Made by Orie Mitchell. 6” high.
Pear-11
Figure 11. Levay Glass Works mini pear paperweight. Clear iridescent. Impressed “LEVAY” on the bottom. 2 ¾” high
Pear-12
Figure 12. Country Glass pear paperweight. Ruby. Blown with applied leaf. Signed on the bottom: “Chet Cole.” 5” high.
Pear-13
Figure 13. Pear paperweight. Clear with green frit cushion with center airtrap. One small red inclusion in cushion. 2 ¾” high.
Pear-14
Figure 14. Pear shaped paperweight. Clear with pale green spatter. From the collection of Elizabeth Degenhart. Part of the Degenhart Paperweight & Glass Museum display, gift of her estate in April 1978.
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