This jewelry features flowers or scenes under glass. The pins are usually framed in brass or nickel silver. Some collectors call these goofus glass pins, while the correct name is reverse painted intaglio. Some of the finer ones are sterling and some are bakelite. Essex crystals are usually framed in gold or sterling. The backgrounds can be thin metallic foil paper (typical) or mother of pearl (older). I seldom find these pins in excellent condition. Generally, they are cheaply made and were never meant to outlive their original owners.
Date(s): September 6, 2002. Album by Georjean West. 1 - 110 of 110 Total. 8542 Visits.
1 This paperweight is very similar to one that is illustrated in in "Baubles, Buttons and Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia".
2 This was purchased in an Ebay live auction in 2003 from a large collection amassed over 30 years.
3 This is in perfect condition and is an especially colorful example of early Czech intaglios.
4 I had never seen one of these early ovals with strawberries, so I had to have it even though some of the red paint is bleeding onto the background. It kind of gives it a softer look and is much less noticeable in person.
5 Isn't this lovely? It was purchased in May 2006. The frame is brass, but a cut above the typical frames. It has a high level of detail. The rhinestones are pronged in, rather than glued.
6 Although most of the reverse painted intaglios come from Czechoslovakia, this is the first pin I've had that is marked Made in Czech. The frames of others may also be Czech, but they are unmarked. This one is ringed in rhinestones and tiny enameled flowers.
7 This Czech paperweight pin was purchased in 2004, and is the same circa as the following ones.
8 Purchased July 2004. I couldn't resist the "quad". The Czech brass frame is aged, but still sturdy.
9 I thought a paperweight dress clip was interesting. Acquired in 4/06. The painting is near perfect.
10 Beautiful double sided pendant (or large charm at 7/8"), it has a fine crystal dome on each side that is bezel set in sterling. There are multi-colored roses on one side...
11 ...and yellow lilies on the other side. The background looks like mother of pearl, but it's hard to know for sure since they did such a great job of imitating it with paper. It's a gift from a wonderful friend.
12 This is not the original chain -- the paperweight came on a 40s Danecraft charm bracelet, but I thought it would be better protected as a pendant.
13 If the frame had not been dark, I would think this is a newer pin since the paint is so crisp and perfect. This is a large pin, almost 2" tall. I disguised some damage to the frame by putting pearls around it.
14 This is a small version of the previous paperweight. It has a different frame, and this one has a US Design Patent from the 1930s.
15 This is larger than most of the Czech paperweight pins. It's 1-7/8" x 1-1/8". The others shaped like it are 1-1/2" x 1".
16 This is a typical Czech reverse painted dome. The setting is also Czech brass.
17 Same intaglio, different frame and painter. It's fun to see how these vary.
18 This Czech reverse painted intaglio (minus frame) is among those pictured in "Baubles, Buttons and Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia".
19 This is the first paperweight pin I purchased. I got it in 1999 because it was a butterfly and I have a butterfly collection. Little did I know that it would start a new collection.
20 This second butterfly is slightly different from the first one. The body is red, instead of pink, and the wings are blue.
21 Another of the classic butterfly pins, this one on a blue gray background. I have only seen one other of these with this background color.
22 I did a lot of work on this butterfly and it needs more. But I have difficulty NOT buying them.
23 I guess some would say, "Enough with the butterflies", but I keep adding them. Even though I've passed by dozens, I don't think my collection is complete.
24 I love this one -- a pretty pink and white butterfly and great white flowers. I got this in a lot in May, 2007
25 This pretty dark red rose looks like it has a true mother of pearl background, but it's probably still only that look-alike paper.
26 Here's another version of the rose, with different painting and another type of frame.
27 This rose is in perfect condition, so even though I have others like it, I couldn't pass it up.
28 Acquired in September 2005. This is an old one, probably 1920s or 30s. There is a little paint missing, but that gives it charm.
29 I added another bluebird to my collection, but this one is even less blue than the old one. Added in December, 2007.
30 Bluebird duo -- don't they look good together?
31 This proud peacock joins my early paperweight "flock". There was a scratch on the dome that I managed to polish off. Other than that, it's in great condition. Received December 2005.
32 This pin has a frame that is a step up from the others. It is "finer" than some of the others that have the same shape. It was purchased in 2003.
33 I love pansies too, and this is a nice representation. The crystal dome really enhances the dimension of the flower.
34 Another purple pansy, this one deeper purple than the first.
35 Same pansy, different color and frame. Purchased this in March 2006.
36 Pretty Pair of Purple and Pink Pansies -- Perfect!
37 Purchased in 2004, this is a wonderful poppy. I will eventually have all of the flowers; it just takes time to find them!
38 While the deep pink one looks like a poppy, the paler pink one looks more like a peony. Whatever they are, they're beautiful. Found at the Flea in February 2006.
39 Here they are together. It's interesting to compare the painting and of course, the frame color is different.
40 Purchased from a large collection being dispersed through an Ebay live auction in 2003. Background was replaced because there was rust, staining and bugs!
41 Purchased in 2005, this is a different metal frame, background color and in incredible condition.
42 Aren't these a delightful duo of daisies?
43 This was purchased at the Tulsa Flea Market for $1. It was incredibly filthy and all of the paint was damaged. Only a few remnants remained. Repainted following the original color scheme.
44 I love this pink rose -- it's in perfect condition, which always makes me happy. Purchased in March 2006.
45 Two roses in a garden of paperweights.
46 I'm not sure what this flower is, but it is a lovely shade of violet and blue. It's also in great condition
47 Another version of the previous pin, this one is in a lighter shade of blue. Purchased July 2006.
48 A pair of purple posies.
49 Although the color scheme is in line with the flower, I wish it were more colorful. This was purchased in 2004.
50 This was described as lucite, but it's glass. The painting isn't as fine as the other one, but it's in great condition. Purchased in May 2007.
51 Same pin, but each has a completely different color scheme.
52 Since I love the delicacy of violets, this is one of my favorites. Purchased in March 2004
53 There's some color missing on the leaf, but other than that, it's in good condition. The colors on this one aren't as vibrant as my other example.
54 Violet colors make them look entirely different.
55 Purchased at the Tulsa Flea Market in 2001. Background has been altered, but I like the look.
56 In June 2007, I finally found one of these intact. This one is in great condition, so it's nice to see how the background is supposed to look.
57 Here they are together. Notice the different colors of frames and leaves.
58 Purchased from Cordelia Wills, in 2002.
59 This was purchased from Lisa Corcoran at end of March 2006. Do you think this is a carnation?
60 I was happy to find this white lily, although it wasn't perfect. I replaced the damaged background and smoothed out two chips in the glass (upper left and lower right). I love lilies and would love to find one in better condition.
61 I finally found one in its original, pristine condition. This was purchased in January 2009.
62 'Tis the season, and I added this holly paperweight in December, 2007.
63 Another holly pin, this one more finely painted. Love how these pins show differences in the painters.
64 Purchased in late 2003 to go with my original butterfly. I also collect butterfly pins so this is a cross collectible.
65 I loved finding this butterfly in a different colorway and in good condition. Purchased in 2009.
66 An April '06 acquisition. This is a perfect vintage reverse painted intaglio that came without a frame. I was happy to find a vintage pin frame to fit.
67 Purchased from Cherry Emerson in 2002. The colors are so vibrant!
68 This is another pansy pin, purchased from Lisa Corcoran in August 2006. The painting is a bit better and more delicate than the other.
69 Pansy bouquets rimmed in silver filigree.
70 Received at the end of March, 2007. I always preferred the brightly colored flowers, but this white on white one is growing on me.
71 Rimmed in sterling, this is an excellent example of a paperweight tourist pin. The depth of the crystal makes it seem 3D. It's actually much nicer in person than it is in the photo.
72 This duck is in excellent condition. Acquired December 2005.
73 Paint is very damaged, but it's a sterling setting and perfect crystal dome. Couldn't see passing it up. At some point, I'll see about restoring it.
74 This is from England and purchased from Sue.
75 Maggie Endres sent me this one because I didn't have it. What a wonderful gift! She and I share a passion for these little glass works of art.
76 This interesting pin combines two images that don't seem to go together: two terriers and a sportfish. The picture doesn't show how nice these intaglios are. The brass frame has wear, but the paperweights are great.
77 I think this quad is from the 1950s. The pictures don't really seem to go together. Seems to me there should be a hunting dog instead of a scottie, and a maybe a hunter instead of a golfer.
78 This is tiny, less than 1" diameter and framed in brass. The number 57 refers to the year. This was probably a souvenir of a visit or event.
79 This is a vintage reverse painted intaglio of the 30s; the dangles and frame embellishment are contemporary. It was "assembled" for a museum shop to coincide with a Winslow Homer exhibit.
80 Interesting background color. This is a small pin, just 1". The frame was corroded and dark, but I got it back to the way it should look. This is not a sulphide, but reverse painted glass to imitate a sulphide.
81 Here's a great flower bouquet in a very small package. It is only 1" wide and worn at the angle pictured.
82 This is an very old butterfly paperweight. It has enameled spots on the butterfly and the background is paper to simulate mother of pearl. Purchased in January 2006.
83 Barbara sent this to me and I was happy to get it. The paint was all gone and to show her how they could be restored, I painted it quickly. Will do a better job later, especially on the large yellow rose.
84 Found in June of 2009. It's a round version of the bluebird found in Pictures 28 and 29.
85
86 This is a different type of pin because there is no enameling on the intaglio. It is called a sulphide. I love the subject. This one is in perfect condition.
87 This old sulphide came to me without backing paper -- just its mottled metal frame. I found a piece of reflective paper which is certainly better than nothing.
88 Manon Kavesky found this in Amsterdam and now it is mine! It is in wonderful condition.
89 Before: This intaglio has background damage, and the glass is badly chipped. I liked the lace-like flowery design, so I decided to restore it.
90 After: When I took it apart, I found that the background paper was blue and textured to simulate butterfly wing. It had faded over time, but the areas under the sulphide were bright blue. I found a similar blue paper and polished the big chip so it wouldn't be jagged. Unfortunately, it was too large to disappear.
91 This is the foil paper I took out of the old paperweight. See how light had bleached the color, except where the sulphide design was.
92 Before: Here's another sulfide, found in March 2007. The foil was originally blue, but has faded to a silver.
93 After restoration: I wish I could find some foil with texture to simulate the butterfly wing that the paper was supposed to mimic.
94 Here's the foil I took out of the sulfide. You can see how everything but the design has faded. I would have left the pin intact, but the top corner was really ragged and it had started to shift so you could see the blue.
95 Before: The background on this older pin was obviously damaged, but I couldn't pass it by. This one has a crystal dome that reminds me of an eyeglass lens. This may be my oldest paperweight.
96 After restoration: Wish you could see it in person. The sulphide just pops from the background. Luckily I was able to polish out the chips in the glass at the same time.
97 Here's another pin with the original paper. See how it is textured. If I took it apart, I'd see that it was originally a blue, but faded to the silvery color.
98 This hunting dog tie bar was found for me by Jennifer in April of '06.
99 Old paperweight button studs decorated with reverse carved and painted baskets purchased Sept. 05.
100 I love the pink color on the roses in this button quad. I'm not sure why three of them are the traditional button studs, and then one has chain to a bar. Maybe it is one of a pair of cufflinks. Does anyone know?
101 These earrings feature paperweight type images and the frames are bakelite (tested). They are from the 30s-40s.
102 I even found a paperweight charm for my charm bracelet! This was purchased in January, 2006.
103 The pendant was originally a keychain. The paperweight is a ship and the frame is bakelite (tested).
104 Here's a pair of red prystal screwback earrings that I got in April '06. These "go with" the prystal clip and pin. I love when I can find matching pieces. And these are in excellent condition.
105 This is an intaglio in prystal, which is the name for transparent bakelite. It features the same type of flower element that is in the quad pin.
106 If I liked it in green, I like it even more in that wonderful red Prystal color. This pin is in excellent condition -- I've never seen Prystal this pristine.
107 A blue prystal pin to go with my others, my first purchase of 2007.
108 This one is a reddish color of Prystal, and is a dress clip, rather than a pin. I got this at the Christmas sale at the Flea Market.
109 This is the only lipstick case I've seen made with a paperweight top. The design is of flowers similar to the dress clip in #9. I don't know the brand of lipstick. Thanks to Sharon Hall for finding this and sharing her picture.
110 I haven't been buying this type of jewelry lately, but I made an exception for this piece. It's a cross collectible -- the bracelet was made by Simmons, whose gold filled jewelry I collect and the center is a paperweight swordfish. Cool.
