Vintage Caithness-Style Amber Millefiori Glass Thimble c.1970s–80s

Vintage Caithness-Style Amber Millefiori Glass Thimble c.1970s–80s

A wonderfully decorative little vintage art glass thimble, formed in rich amber-coloured glass and topped with a miniature millefiori paperweight-style panel.

The rounded top contains a beautifully arranged collection of colourful glass canes, with blue, white, green and red floral and star-like motifs set beneath the clear glass surface. The effect is wonderfully intricate, especially considering the tiny scale of the piece.

The construction, including the amber body, applied millefiori top and characteristic hollow domed interior, closely resembles known examples produced by Caithness Glass in Scotland during the later 20th century. Without an original label or maker’s mark we have described it as Caithness-style rather than making a definitive attribution.

Caithness Glass was founded in Wick, Scotland, in 1961 and became particularly celebrated for its colourful studio glass and paperweights. Millefiori designs became an important part of the company’s output during the 1970s, and these miniature thimbles brought the same decorative glassmaking techniques to a wonderfully small scale.

A lovely piece for a collector of vintage thimbles, Scottish glass, millefiori or miniature paperweights, and equally attractive simply displayed as a tiny piece of decorative art glass.

Measurements:

Height: approximately 2 cm

Diameter at base: approximately 2.5 cm

Condition:

Good vintage condition. No obvious chips or cracks noted. There are some tiny bubbles, inclusions and minor surface marks consistent with handmade glass and age. Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description.

Why we love it:

It is essentially a tiny paperweight masquerading as a thimble. The warm amber glass combined with the jewel-like millefiori top makes this a particularly charming little collector’s piece.

Approximate Date: c.1970s–1980s

Origin: Probably Scotland

Material: Art glass / millefiori glass

Maker: Attributed to Caithness Glass, unmarked

We describe all of our antique and vintage items to the best of our knowledge and research. As with all pre-owned pieces, signs of age and use may be present and form part of their individual character.