Glass articles - John Moncrieff Limited |
On a recent trip to Scotland, we visited the John Moncrieff Glassworks in Perth. Mr. Wallace took us on a tour, in which he described in great detail all of the technical problems, recent improvements, etc., in the the making of laboratory equipment in his factory. He is a serious young man with a full understanding of all the phases of his work and was an able guide. We were introduced to the foreman, Mr. Eisner, who thrilled our daughter by forming two graceful swans in molten glass. One of the greatest privileges was meeting Mr. Paul Ysart and watching him make a paperweight. He is a very pleasant person with a most attractive smile. Paperweights are only a sideline for Mr. Ysart since he is the factory's most skilled artisan for some of the intricate laboratory equipment which must be made by hand. His millefiori canes and designs are made in the privacy of his home and kept in a tiny locked room in the factory until he uses them. The actual weights are put together on his own time, usually while the other workers are out for lunch. With preheated canes set up in the desired design to fit the bottom of a 2 ½” - 3” metal cup, a blob of molten glass is transferred by means of a glassblowing rod from the furnace into the cup. The canes fuse to the glass and the whole thing can be lifted out on the end of the rod. His only mold for shaping is made of tightly packed tissue paper which is wet and rubbed by hand around the molten glass. Another blob of glass is added and the procedure of molding repeated until the desired size of weight is obtained. With special forceps, the base near the rod is pinched until the weight can be knocked off. It is a red-hot glowing perfectly formed paperweight, with the design vaguely visible. This is whisked immediately onto a slowly moving treadmill which gradually cools it over a period of 48 hours. The whole process of making a weight takes about fifteen minutes and, in the hand of Mr. Ysart, looks like a few simple graceful motions. Naturally this does not include all of the thought and work of the original designing and making of the canes. It is always fascinating to watch such a skilled artist. In his private collection Mr. Ysart has many beautiful “experiments” and some magnum weights. There are butterflies hovering over delicate flowers, dragon flies, flowers in pots, etc. Mr. Ysart also makes the lovely Monart vases, plates and other decorative objects and we were thrilled to be presented with a beautiful pink vase before we left. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace proved excellent ambassadors for Scotland, using precious petrol to show us some of their lovely countryside. In our imagination we could see the snow covered hills purple with heather. It was a thoroughly delightful trip and one to be long remembered.
Originally published in the Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors' Association, VOL II, June 1957, No 2. Reproduced here with permission of the Paperweight Collectors Association, Inc. (PCA, Inc). Website: paperweight.org |
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Flower Paperwights by Paul Ysart |
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Paul Ysart at work | ||
Paul Ysart at the chair with assistant. |
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All Photographs Copyright ©1957 P. K. McLaren. Text Copyright ©1957 Margaret E. Jokelson and Paperweight Collectors Association, Inc.
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