A rare 'Old English' close-packed millefiori paperweight, circa 1850

A rare 'Old English' close-packed millefiori paperweight, circa 1850 Traditionally attributed to Bacchus, set with a profusion of different canes predominantly in shades of pink, purple, white and blue, all held within an outer tow of pink-and-white canes forming a stave basket, 8cm diam, 5.1cm high Footnotes: Recent research has suggested that paperweights traditionally attributed to Bacchus such as this may in fact be by a contemporary 'Old English' maker, see Alan Thornton, Old English Paperweights Revisited: What Do We Now Believe?, Annual Bulletin of the Paperweight Collectors Association, No.66 (2020). Several of the canes within the present lot are characteristic of Thornton's 'Old English 4 Group', which includes several paperweights bearing a remarkably strong resemblance to Bacchus. In particular this includes cogwheel canes with sixteen points, with coloured centres. A Bacchus attribution can be neither confirmed nor ruled out. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing