Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight was made by the Compagnie de Saint Louis, its date of production unknown. The glass from which it’s formed, like all glass, is essentially just melted sand. However, this unassuming fact belies an astonishing production process. The flowers inside are not painted on, but crafted from individual glass canes. These are created by pulling molten globules of colored glass into thin rods, then arranged in cross-sections to create a ‘millefiori’ effect. These tiny composite decorations are then carefully positioned inside the larger clear dome, which acts as a magnifying lens. While the appeal of this object may seem purely decorative, it’s worth considering the labor involved. Glassmaking has long been a highly skilled profession. Paperweights like this were luxury goods, bought and sold by a burgeoning middle class. By appreciating the art and industry involved in this paperweight, we get a more profound understanding of its cultural value.