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Reprint from The Hobstar, January 1990, Page 11

Pairpoint’s Thistle Pattern

Lee Walker, of Antiques by Jan and Lee Walker, 4480 5. E. Federal Hwy. (us #1), Coral Plaza, Stuart, Florida 34997, has forwarded the above photos and the follow-ing interesting information on Pairpoint’s "Thistle" pattern for the membership’s enlightenment:

"I own the "Thistle" piece on the cover of the March, 1986 issue of THE HOBSTAR (shown below), as well as a number of other Pairpoint pieces, including "Silsbee" pattern by Harrison A. Silsbee, patented July 12, 1910 for Pairpoint in the Vase and Powder Box illustrated in Pearson’s Encyclopedia, plus other articles of interest in this unique cutting. Since having all this glass in a particular vein of style, it confirms my resolve that the above illustrated Salad Set may also be rightly attributed to the Pairpoint Glass Company.

Both pieces are very heavy and cut on thick white blank’s. The Bowl is 9" in diameter by approximately 4" deep. The underplate is approximately 12" in diameter and 2" high, and consists of a chain of 12 thistles in a circular, continuos intertwining vine, panel cut and arched on the outer edge, panel cut at center, framing a 12—point rayed star base.

As a point of reference,please see the September 1987 issue of THE HOBSTAR, page 6, showing an "Acorn" pattern Bowl by Pairpoint, illustrated as part of a story on photographing Cut Glass by Nick Boonstra. The "Acorn" pattern, which has been identified (by original paper label) as Pairpoint, has identIcal leaves, vines, and cutting style as the "Thistle" Salad Set. If all the pieces mentioned were lined up like soldiers in a row, they truly look like they were made from the same batch of glass, which, of course, they weren’t. The same technique is very obviously used by the cutting shop in every aspect. As far as I know, this "Thistle" pattern is not identified in any book published to date.

It might be helpful for others who have "Thistle" pattern pieces still unidenti-fied in their collection to consult Gardner’s fine book, The Glass of Fredrick Carder, which illustrates a different style thistle in the Cut Glass section. I am fortunate to have green cut-to-clear goblets with square base in Carder’s thistle.

I trust this information will be helpful to the membership."