Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

Editor: So, here we have "Paperweight" made around 1845-1860 by the Compagnie de Saint Louis. It’s this captivating dome of glass, encasing these delicate, almost whimsical floral arrangements. It feels very much like capturing a fleeting moment of beauty. What do you see in this piece, beyond the pretty flowers? Curator: Oh, it’s more than just pretty, isn’t it? Imagine holding a tiny, perfect garden in your hand! These paperweights were intensely popular back then, especially in France. They speak to a desire for ornamentation and a real fascination with the natural world, only miniaturized. The level of detail is just bonkers, isn't it? I imagine the artisans working on it would have felt like obsessive sorcerers brewing little universes of wonder! Does the floral pattern hint at something more symbolic to you? Editor: I guess it’s just generally decorative? A bit of beauty on your desk. Was it difficult to produce something like this? Curator: Massively. Think of each flower, each petal, individually crafted from colored glass canes and then fused together within the clear glass. It's like a complex dance of heat and skill. What feels old to me in a strange way is that somebody felt they were worth the enormous cost and care and devotion it would have taken to make it. A strange luxury item. Do you think that luxurious aesthetic could feel confining today? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way! Maybe, it does feel a little constrained and neat now, as if someone tried too hard. Curator: Precisely! Maybe it would sit a little uneasily on your desk, as it did on mine until I felt I could put it in the correct context, and that made me enjoy its slightly stilted exuberance more than before. I wonder how they did it… maybe that's the charm and value!