What did I just buy? I'm guessing that it's a paperweight, but I can't find any other similar ones online. The solid glass is a cube-like shape that is slightly smaller on top (glass is 2½"tall, 2" square at top, 2¼" square at bottom) - making it a trapezoidal prism or something ... weight over 1 pound. The metal knob on top is sterling and I think those are Gorham marks for 20th century items (please correct me of I'm wrong) ... appears to be glued to the glass. I have not polished it yet to avoid any shine from obscuring the marks which are hard to make out. As you can see from the close-up shots, I haven't even cleaned the layers of dust in the nooks and crannies of the silver. Has anyone seen one of these or does anyone know what it is?
If you polish it the marks will show better. Wonder if it is part of a desk set. Sort of a press for blotting. Did they do that? Lay a blotter down and press? Off to google.
Well the blotters I am seeing roll across and the blotting paper is attached to the roller. https://www.google.com/search?q=gor...&bih=890#tbm=isch&q=gorham+desk+ink+blotter&* It still looks like it should press on something. Why would you have the knob?
Guess I'll go polish it then .... I've found many examples of inkwells ... but no other glass and sterling desk accessories ... maybe Google will like you better than it does me
OK, gave it a quick sponge bath with Goddards silver foam polish ... looks a bit better but the marks are not complete due to the curved surface. I still think they look like Gorham though ... also able to more clearly see the mark to the right of the word sterling ... looks like either B405 or 8405 to me.
I agree on a Gorham mark 20th century mark. http://www.925-1000.com/Gorham_Date_Code.html Found Gorham blocks of glass/crystal with silver knob lids called "sterling silver cut base crystal inkwell." As we can see though the glass, this isn't an inkwell. https://www.rubylane.com/item/385618-RL-4339/Gorham-sterling-silver-cut-base-crystal?search=1 https://www.rubylane.com/item/10615...terling-Cut-Crystal-Inkwell-1890x27s?search=1 --- Susan
I think this is a homemade affair. I'd say it was the handle from an old rocker-blotter that was glued onto a piece of glass that was cut specially for it, and turned into a paperweight.
Thanks, Susan, for confirming that I was reading those partial marks correctly and looking for similar items.
Thanks guys, that thought (marriage) crossed my mind as well. If so, it will fit right in here at the home for misfit stuff!
Not unusual to have a handle on a paperweight, but this is, as already suggested, a marriage (personally, would call it a 'make-do'). Hard to tell on my phone, but it appears to have a piece in the center that was also glued - if so, would lead me to think that the handle was originally the lid to a mucilage/glue pot, similar to the LaPierre piece linked below. The 'B' prefix on the Gorham production code was used starting in 1898 on, among other things, desk accessories... http://m.ebay.com/itm/152429848817?_mwBanner=1 ~Cheryl
Thank you, Cheryl ... yes, there is a 'stem' running down from the center of the knob to the surface of the glass. I wonder if the original 'whatever' that was under this silver knob got broken and the owner decided to put the knob to some good use - it is functional as it keeps fingerprints off of the glass weight.
