Antique French Pinchbeck Paperweight Festive Pastoral Scene Mounted on Marble

Rough Dimensions : 3-1/4" diameter & 2" tall 

Makers Mark: Unsigned.

Provenance: Unavailable. 

Condition: Excellent, shelf wear to the base and minor scuffs to the upper surface. Please see photos and let us know if you need any additional assistance.  

There is something about pinchbeck paperweights which intrigues. The scenes captured under the dome ask the viewer to finish the story, extrapolate and interpret just what is going on. The technic for these weights predates the classical era of paperweight making and some may be older than we believe. Few have survived in good or better condition. It is a subset of paperweights which is well worth a second look and I can see why for fervent collectors of these weights they command such desire.