Vasart/Strathearn Transitional Paperweights VS001-0020

Vasart Glass or Strathearn around 1964

This is a period where it is not possible to define if a weight was made at Perth (Vasart) or Crieff (Strathearn). We do not know when glass chemistry changes were made, only that Strathearn switched to Propane fired kilns. If there are any scientists out there that could suggest mew ways of testing the weights let us know. Please refer to KevH’s site on the links page for details of ongoing research.

WARNING: This section is very much IF - MAYBE - POSSIBLY. There is so little detailed knowledge of when different designs, canes or chemistry changes were made. With the glassware it is easier as two changes occured in the manufacture process, firstly the use of the Strathearn ‘seal’ on an applied button of glass and secondly the switch from the pontil rod to the gadget which resulted four prong marks instead of a raised pontil. These were then hidden, usually by the seal. The weights included on this page were made by the people that made weights at both Vasart Limited and Strathearn Glass Limited. As production was continuous with a smooth transition from Perth to Crieff it is certain that some weight designs will fall into a transitional stage, made at both locations. At Strathearn new design influences were introduced but how quickly these resulted in a ‘Strathearn’ only design is not yet fully understood. This is where our visitors come in - you may have examples of these weights with a label and that labelled piece may result in us moving a weight to a Strathearn or Vasart only page. Even more exciting would be for two collectors to provide labelled examples of the same design from both Vasart and Strathearn - in which case the weight would be proven transitional. Over to you!

Contributions: If you have some weights that you would like to share with the collecting community through these pages. Please provide at the minimum a JPG picture of high resolution and a picture of any marks or label, plus height and diameter. Ideally we would additionally like photos showing the profile and base views and how they all fluoresce under Long and Short Wave UV. This will improve everyones knowledge and possibly the methods of dating.