Friday, January 6, 2012

Pantin Paperweights: Snakes in the Glass









My fascination with snakes and other reptiles in ceramic also translates into glass, in this case glass paperweights. The most famous and rare of these were produced in France in the middle of the 19th Century by a company generally known as “Pantin.” According to sources fewer than 20 of these snake, salamander and worm paperweights are known. From a range of Internet sources I have gathered eight Pantin weights to show here.

Little is known about the Pantin factory and what information is available often is partial and even conflicting. One account goes like this: The Cristallerie de Pantin was founded by E. S. Monot at LaVillette, France, in 1850. It moved to Pantin, near Paris, in 1855. The company manufactured glass tubes and other chemical glass, crystal drinking vessels, and chandeliers. None of the weights Pantin produced were signed or dated. Evidence of Pantin paperweight making is in printed materials from the Paris Universal Exposition of 1878. American delegate Charles Colne described the snakes, lizards, fruits, and millefiori that amazed him in their skilled craftsmanship. The company continued until 1915, when it merged with Legras & Cie to form Verreries et Cristalleries de St. Denis et Pantin.

The artists who produced these weight overcame the risks involved in representing delicate and detailed animals in molten crystal, while preserving the fine quality of the lampworking. Frequently the bodies were wheel-cut to simulate scales. The legs and other details were added. It is suggested that one reason salamanders are a frequent Pantin motif is that they were thought to be able to survive fire unharmed. As such, it is said, they were long revered by glassmakers.

In 2010, A Pantin weight sold for $65,370, more than double its estimate. Shown here, it is just over 4 inches in diameter and shows a yellowish orange spotted black salamander clambering across green leaves with red and white flowers, all set on an opaque white ground mottled with moss and buff-coloured sand. Beautiful, indeed, but a pricey piece of glass.

The red salamander weight that follows is another prize. It was part of the Henry Melville Fuller collection of paperweights given to the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1999. Said Mr. Fuller: "One of my favorite weights from this period was made by Pantin, a factory near Paris. The paperweight is somewhat unusual...lizards and snakes being a favorite subject of the Pantin artists. But these weights are very scarce, for the factory was only in business for a short time."

Most known Pantin weights can be found in museum collections. The next item, featuring a green snake, is from the collection of the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. In 1978 that institution brought together 13 examples in a special exhibit, believed to be the largest assemblage ever made of Pantin weights. The Chicago Art Institute has in its collection a Pantin weight that features three silkworms on a mulberry leaf. I am uncertain of the provenance of the last four weights shown here.

For $65,000, one of these Pantin weights might be purchased to be held in the hand. As the next best thing, this post offers up this array of eight for viewing, each offering its own “eye candy.” And they are presented here free of charge.

6 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this information!
    There is a Baccarat price-list of 1907 in which lizard paperweights are catalogued. Analyses of the glass however, direct to to the Pantin cristalleries. Strange fact is the extermely high quality as well in performance as in ideas without a developement history. I do have another picture of a Pantin weight with a salamander and a red/white flower which I would descripe as a tulp. This weight turned up in a Polish collection. Of course you're very welcome to place this picture on this blog! Best regards,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello 'Uknown', The pricelist is mentioned by R.Imbert and Y.Amic in their book 'Les Presse-papiers Francais, P75.If Pantin indeed made those lizards, Ralph Imbert and Y.Amic would have known, they new every Cristallerie, every dealer,especially in Paris. But okay, they lived a few decencia later. Onother fact is if thousends of people visited the great exhibition in 1878 then why is the only 'track' to the Pantin a note of an American diplomat? It just doesn't fit. If you ask me, the lizards were made by an individual artist, who might have had connections somehow with Pantin. Against small payment there are lists of all products Pantin documented on the internet, no paperweight is mentioned. One flower paperweight contains a sticker which can easly have been exchanged from onother Pantin product. No proof for me, but it could be an indication. The pricelist of 1907 contains a 'simplfied example of this model' wereby the writer is refering to the snake and rocks. I am not an expert, but to me the proof is very doubtfull.

      Delete
    2. Arnold: Thanks for answering the question of "Unknown" In addition, you have added some mystery to their origin.

      Delete
  2. Hello mr. Sullivan. I stay pretty alone with my opinion about Pantin weights, I feel I have to clarify my thoughts. Charles Colne didn't mention any Baccarat or st.Louis paperweights, which is pretty strange. He did mention 'squirrel' weights. In the ten years I am collecting now, I discovered only one antique squirrel paperweight,owned by 'the New-York Historical Society. This Squirrel weight is attributed to st.Louis. I've seen old recordings of glas factories in the 1860's. I excually can't imagine the Pantin Lizards were made under such circumstances. What disturbs me most is the fact there is no tradition of Pantin paperweights. If mr. Dunlop continious 'discovering' new Pantins like he does right now, we have hundreds, if not a few thousend Pantins in the next decenia. I'd call that impossible. So many paperweights attributed to Pantin, but no tradition at all. A gift from Pantin to the conservatoire des Arts et Metiers sounds interesting, but is it proof? Personaly I don't make my presents myself. This is why I can't see a present as proof, it might have been given to Pantin before, who knows? I realy hope we will get rock-solid proof one day! The artist of the 'Pantin' reptiles deserves that!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Arnold: Thanks again for sharing the results of your research. You have provided ample food for thought.

    ReplyDelete