This is a very attractive vintage 1980s paperweight by the American glassmaker, Chris Buzzini.
Chris Buzzini started blowing glass in California in the 1970s. From 1972 - 1975 he worked at Orient & Flume Art Glass in Chico, CA. From 1976 to 1978 he operated a glass studio called Bridgeton Studio in New Jersey. He had two helpers at the Glassworks - Allan Ziegler and Fritz Willie. Chris did the designs and his colleagues made the actual weights - often their names are included in the signature.
Chris subsequently moved back to California where he worked at the Lundberg Studios and Correia Art Glass. Since 1986 he has been an independent studio artist - his later designs often sell for several thousand dollars.
His work has been included in many books on paperweights and is featured in the permanent collections of several museums.
Prices for these earlier works by him remain relatively affordable. His weights are not so easy to source in the UK. This is a particularly fine and well-crafted weight and this is reflected in my asking price.
My paperweight is a large hand-blown early work by Buzzini. The design has a large abstract flower head under the centre of the weight dome. The flower has only four petals and is orange and black. There are burnt orange feathered lines running around the flower at the top of the weight. Around the sides are intricate grey horizontal lines. These form delicate stripes, as photographed. The main internal body colour is white.
It is fully signed and dated on the base, as photographed. The date is for 1983.
It is a nice large size - measuring 2 3/4 inches high - and the diameter is 2 3/4 inches. It forms a nice tactile ball. The weight unpacked is just over 500 grams.
Postage will be capped to post to you at £5.50 with Royal Mail Recorded Post and this will be applied to your order at the checkout.