It isn’t until the second season of Twin Peaks that we step into Sheriff Truman’s office. There, a whole new world of props and decorations are introduced. One such item is a paperweight distributed by Rosenthal-Netter, Inc. which features a brass owl on a marble base. Here’s a closer look at the latest prop I’ve identified.
HISTORY OF ROSENTHAL-NETTER
Founded in 1959, Rosenthal-Netter was best known for importing Italian-made ceramics. They began importing a wider variety of items in the 1960s including some from Asian countries.
The label beneath my replica paperweight indicates it was produced in Taiwan.
APPEARANCES IN TWIN PEAKS
The owl paperweight first appears on the bookshelf behind Sheriff Truman’s desk in episode 2002.
Note the pocket watch displayed in a bell jar on Harry’s desk.
The owl remains on the shelf and the pocket watch in the jar on the desk through episode 2006.
In episode 2010, these items shift around. A bell jar which I believe to be the same appears on the desk of Vice Principal Greege as Dr. Jacoby and Big Ed discuss Nadine’s high school enrollment. It is difficult to tell if it still contains the watch since a mug stands in the way.
Later in the episode, we return to Harry’s office to find the owl on the bookshelf now encased in the bell jar and the pocket watch absent!
Episode 2011 sees the owl and jar move to the desk where they will stay until their last appearance.
Look for the owl behind the pile of doughnuts and the white towel on the Sheriff’s desk in Episode 2013.
The paperweight is by the deer head in Episode 2014.
You can also see it briefly on the Sheriff’s desk later in the episode.
The final and clearest appearance of the Rosenthal-Netter paperweight occurs in episode 2016.
A close shot lingers on the owl and slowly pans across the Sheriff’s desk to Cooper’s tape recorder. From episode 2017 forward, the owl is either absent or obscured.
For anyone else who may be interested in recreating this display affordably, I used a 3″x4″ Plymor dome with a walnut base which I purchased for about $15 here.
