Paperweight c. 1848 - 1855

This paperweight was made by the Compagnie de Saint Louis, in France, using glass. In the 19th century, France saw a flourishing of glassmaking. The paperweight’s kaleidoscopic design gives us some insight into French luxury industries in the 1800s. Paperweights became highly fashionable status symbols among the rising middle classes. They were relatively affordable, and had a practical use, pinning down documents in increasingly busy offices and homes. This particular paperweight is attributed to the Cristallerie de Saint-Louis, a glassworks that was established with royal approval in 1767. Saint-Louis specialized in luxury crystal and became known for its innovations in paperweight design. Historians of design use trade catalogs, newspaper advertisements, and surviving examples to trace the popularity of paperweights across different social classes and national boundaries. These objects offer us a window into the social and economic transformations of 19th-century Europe.