The following article is reprinted with permission from the Caithness Glass Paperweight Collectors' Society magazine, Reflections. The article describes the making of the Robert the Bruce paperweight by Sarah Peterson.

Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland on the 25th of March 1306, at Scone near Perth. This was a time of great turmoil in Scotland. The English King, Edward I, had reduced Scotland to a vassal state and Bruce, following in the footsteps of William Wallace, knew that independence was the only answer for Scotland. However, as Bruce had been outlawed by Edward I, his only option was to go into hiding.

It was during this time that the legendary tale of the spider is said to have occurred. Hiding in a cave, Bruce watched a spider attempting to spin a web in the cave mouth. Failing in its first two attempts, it was successful on the third. Bruce realized that he had to keep fighting for independence, no matter how difficult the task. The turning point came in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn -- Scotland was on her way and the Declaration of Arbroath proclaiming Scottish Independence was signed in 1320.

1. The colour, glass chunks that make the rock detail within the cave, green fluss for the moss covered walls of the cave, the spider, and the all important web are laid out in preparation for the making of Robert The Bruce.
2. The colour to make Robert The Bruce's tartan top is picked up.		3. Sarah uses a 6 inch nail to create Robert's head.
4. The web and then the spider are picked up.		5. Green fluss is picked up to create the moss covered walls of the cave.
6. Sarah adds the glass chunks that make up the texture of the cave.		7. After picking up 2 more colours that make the floor of the cave and the contrast in Robert's tartan, the weight is coated in Goldbraun powder.
8. The glory hole is then turned up and the weight is put into the roaring flames to create the metallic look of the outside.		The finished paperweight Robert The Bruce.

©2003 Caithness Glass Paperweight Collectors' Society. Reprinted with permission.

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Caithness Glass
Robert the Bruce Paperweight
Caithness Paperweight Collector's Society
www.caithnessglass.co.uk -- Caithness Glass website