Posted by Wolf on September 10, 2009 at 20:21:49:

In Reply to: Fireball posted by Mrs J. Lloyd on September 10, 2009 at 17:03:50:

: I have inherited a Colin Terris "Fireball" paperweight. My eyes are not as good as they should be so I can't make out if the number etched on the bottom is "H35285" or "H3S28S".

Let me briefly explain this numbering system - which at the same time will answer your question. The system is used for unlimited weights only, and was introduced in 1983. The code consists of a leading letter indicating the year - like A indicates 1983 (when the system was launched) and again 2003 (because a few letters were omitted). H indicates 1990 - so this is the year your individual weight was actually made. During the year a running number was added, starting with 1 for the first unlimited weight of the year - and your weight is the 35285th unlimited weight made in 1990. There will be no letters apart from the leading letter! Once you know the number of unlimited weights produced in any given year, you can guesstimate the month of production, or at least the quarter - but the number is not related in any way to the design - in other words, apart from the leading letter, indicating the year of production, the numbers in the code are not relevant at all for the identification of the weight.
Best regards - Wolf

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: : I have inherited a Colin Terris "Fireball" paperweight. My eyes are not as good as they should be so I can't make out if the number etched on the bottom is "H35285" or "H3S28S".

: Let me briefly explain this numbering system - which at the same time will answer your question. The system is used for unlimited weights only, and was introduced in 1983. The code consists of a leading letter indicating the year - like A indicates 1983 (when the system was launched) and again 2003 (because a few letters were omitted). H indicates 1990 - so this is the year your individual weight was actually made. During the year a running number was added, starting with 1 for the first unlimited weight of the year - and your weight is the 35285th unlimited weight made in 1990. There will be no letters apart from the leading letter! Once you know the number of unlimited weights produced in any given year, you can guesstimate the month of production, or at least the quarter - but the number is not related in any way to the design - in other words, apart from the leading letter, indicating the year of production, the numbers in the code are not relevant at all for the identification of the weight.
: Best regards - Wolf



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