Director: Colin Terris U.K.
Club Secretary: Caroline Clark
Publication Coordinator: Mhairi Coull

REFLECTIONS is published annually by Caithness Collectors’ Club, Inveralmond, Perth, Scotland PH1 3TZ. ©1988 Caithness Collectors’ Club. All rights reserved.

Scotland’s Glass version 2008 with permission of Caithness Glass plc. By Frank Andrews and Wolf Seelentag.

Last year we invited all the glass-makers to create their interpretation of 'New Horizons'. This year they have been given 'free rein' on a subject matter.

{2008 - Addresses are no longer valid}

The Secretary, Caithness Collectors’ Club, Caithness Glass Inc., Building 12, 141 Lanza Avenue, GARFIELD, NJ. 07026, U.S.A.

The U.S. Collectors’ Club continues to grow in size. It is nice to be adding new members: however, it is equally as gratifying to have so many membership renewals. Everyone is always anxious to have Colin visit their part of the country for in-store appearances during one of his rare trips to the U.S. since our members thoroughly enjoy meeting him at these events. He could spend much more time here and still not get to all the places where people would like to have him visit.

We have recently changed the format of our newsletter to more closely parallel the format used by the U.K.Club and we hope our members will be pleased with the results. At the present time we are working on an updated dealer listing so it will be easier for Collectors to know the location of the nearest Caithness gallery where they can see a large selection of paperweights on display. There has been great enthusiasm over “Chorale” throughout the year and based on the fantastic reception to the treble magnum, “Magnum Opus,” by our dealers, we expect “Opus ’88” to sell out quickly.

There are many aspects and diversified responsibilities in a small company that make each of our positions interesting, challenging and ever changing. The most rewarding, though, is our contact with both our dealers and Collectors... and talking and writing to those people who value each Caithness paperweight as a treasured possession.

Charlotte Judd

The Secretary, Caithness Collectors’ Club, Caithness Glass Plc, Inveralmond, PERTH PH1 3TZ. Scotland.

It is most encouraging to be able to welcome another three branches of the Caithness Collectors’ Club into our worldwide family, which means we are now truly international. As the UK branch of the Caithness Collectors’ Club continues to grow, we here at Perth have been working hard to try to improve all aspects of the Collectors’ Club in order to provide an even better service to all Club members.

Being based here at the Perth Paperweight Studios means that I have the pleasure of meeting probably more Collectors than would the other Club Secretaries, as Collectors visit from all over the world. To see the delight on their faces as they tour the paperweight making studios and watch the craftsmen at work, is an added bonus. A visit to Perth is worth while for Collectors as they have the opportunity to see the complete glass making process, from the raw materials to the finished product, and to visit the paperweight museum where over 600 Caithness paperweights are on display.

This year’s Collectors’ Weight, “Opus ’88”, which is available to all branches or the Collectors’ Club, is already proving to be one of the fastest selling paperweights ever. Already hundreds of orders have been received here at Perth and, as the other Club Secretaries start to place their orders, I’m sure the edition of 1,000 will sell out very quickly.

The launch of our first Caithness Calendar has been a major success which, I’m sure, is due to the stunning shots of our favourite Caithness Paperweights, shown in a way which has never been seen before. Judging by the sales of the Calendars, Collectors worldwide, must agree. We are all looking forward to next year’s Collection which is going to be an extra special one as we celebrate 20 years of Caithness paperweights in 1989.

Caroline Clark

The Secretary, Caithness Collectors’ Society, Frederick Dickson & Company, 28 Carnforth Road, TORONTO, Ontario, M4A 2K7, Canada.

START PRESS! Let’s get the production line rolling! We launched our club at the beginning of June 1988 with an introductory letter sent out to all registered addresses in our country. As we are approaching the end of the year. I am proud to say that to date we have over 200 members and we are still growing. Thanks to the help from fellow Caithness Secretaries, our launch has been a success.

When I was first appointed to be the Caithness Secretary, my first reaction was one of apprehension, but I was very proud to be given this honor. It is just like learning how to skate again. When you are inexperienced or not fully knowledgeable about a product you are dealing with, your ability to teach and sell to others is weakened. However, as time has passed, I have learned a great deal about paperweights and my appreciation for them has greatly increased.

I am really looking forward to the growth of our Collectors Club.Right now it is only a part time job, but as time goes on, it will definitely become a full time effort. Our first newsletter is scheduled to be released in October. This will be a very exciting project, which will give me the opportunity to share all my interesting knowledge with our Collectors. We will be using our new computer laser scanner to assist in production.

Many compliments to all of the Caithness crew for their extraordinary work. I am looking forward to the remainder of 1988 and to the new year, as are all of our Collectors.

Jack Zeronian

The Secretary, Caithness Collectors’ Club, De Vingerhoed, Bos & Vaartlaan 34, 1181 AB AMSTELVEEN, Holland.

Let me introduce myself! My name is Mylène de Wever and I joined Bos & Vaart Collectables in June 1988. As you can see, I was thrown into the deep end straight away as I was appointed Secretary of the new Dutch Paperweight Club.

We mailed approximately 80 addresses accumulated by Perth over the past years and can boast an astonishing response of about 60%!! This is a tremendous score if you realize that a direct mailing normally scores only a mere 5 -10%! We are of the opinion that this can only be the result of the quality of the Caithness products, the enthusiasm of our members for this highly collectable item and to a small degree, our own approach.

Now, near the end of 1988, the Caithness Collectors Club Nederland (as it’s official name is) has 80 members and the number is growing rapidly. Not bad for a very small country - to reach this figure in less than 6 months!

In September we had our Autumn Fair at the Royal Dutch Trade Show in Utrecht, which is comparable with the Frankfurter Messe and the Birmingham Spring Fair. During this Fair Bos & Vaart Collectables introduced the newest Caithness Paperweights as well as the Caithness Contemporary Crystal Collection. We are proud to be able to tell you that Caithness was elected as one of the few innovative products at this Fair.

I am looking forward to the new Collection which will undoubtedly again be excellent and bear thrilling names. I must admit that I’ve been captured by the spell and can’t wait to add some of the new designs to my own fast growing collection. For the first time this year we will be offering the exclusive Club paperweight to our Collectors.

Mylène de Wever

The Secretary, Caithness Collectors’ Club, Kappelacker, CH-8581 ZIHLSCHLACHT, Switzerland.

My steadily growing “family” of Caithness Club members has kept me on my toes with a constant stream of enquiries and exchange of views.

In July I decided to make my home “open house” for all Club members, with an exhibition of the complete 1988 range and my own collection from past years, which created considerable interest.

One of our members had decided, absolutely, that she wanted a Jupiter 1987, and appealed to me to help her find one. By chance, I had planned three days later to attend an exhibition of glass in Schaffhausen, and whilst looking at a showcase of various exhibits was astonished to see a Jupiter nestling at the back! Our member, who was due to go in to hospital shortly afterwards, was overjoyed, and I would like to imagine that Jupiter, sitting on her bedside table, played some part in her speedy recovery.

On another occasion, we had an engineer from the Swiss telephone company checking our installation. Upstairs, where he was working, I had about fifteen paperweights on top of a chest. Intrigued, he asked me about them, and I explained what they were and how they were made (the literal translation of the German word for a paperweight “Briefbeschwerer” is “letterweight”). He was greatly impressed and told me that he would start a collection, but then his face fell: “But I never write letters”, he said sadly, “I always use the telephone, so I would have no use for them!”

Now I look forward to see the response from our members to the beautiful new calendar and the Collectors’ paperweight and to a busy end to the year.

Ursula Schefer

The Secretary, Caithness Collectors’ Club, Cambur Industries PTY Ltd., 538 Mountain Highway, Bayswater, MELBOURNE 3153, Australia.

1989 will see the birth of the Collectors’ Club in Australia, although we have many Collectors already registered with the club in Scotland.

During 1988 we were fortunate to be visited by Colin Terris and Peter Ford, who created the “spark” required in establishing the Collectors’ Club.

The next few months will see us programming our computer for customer mailings and registrations.

Once established I look forward to receiving all registrations, particularly as I am curious as to which paperweights people select.

It would be interesting to note if one area of our large country chooses a colour different to another, eg: Queensland, which is one of our warmer states, as against Victoria, a cooler state?

Although a novice with Caithness Paperweights, I have readily accepted their beauty and the glassmakers ability to produce these pieces of art. I look forward to seeing the new range from Caithness.

Janice Jeffs

The Secretary, Caithness Paperweight Sammlerclub, Präsent Sterling, Langäcker 18, D8918 DIESSEN 3, W. Germany.

The optimistic trends noted in the previous “Reflections” for 1987 continue to be realised. The number of registered Collectors has significantly increased as, indeed, have the variety and imagination in the range of paperweights being produced over the year.

I should like to use this opportunity to thank all our listed Collectors Club members for their continued interest, and I would welcome a step-up in direct contacts and comments to us with regard to their personal response to the new designs being introduced into the collection. Out of the current 1987/1988 range of paperweights the most popular ones in Germany and Austria have been the following:

Limited Editions: Space Frontier, Crusader, Listener.
Unlimited Editions: All Black & White designs, such as Acrobat Jet, Cauldron Sable, Moonflower Black & White, Tango Sable, Snow Trail Clear.

Many new retail shops now stock Caithness Paperweights, and Collectors should be able to find good selections within their own areas. For further information on retail outlets they should contact us direct.

Heide Moore