Paperweight c. 1850 - 1875

This glass paperweight was created by the New England Glass Company, which operated from 1818 to 1888. The floral design encased within, froze nature’s beauty in a moment of industrial production. These objects were more than mere desk accessories. They reflected America's burgeoning industrial prowess and its embrace of mass production. During the Victorian era, such items were markers of middle-class aspiration, a time when decorative arts became increasingly accessible. To understand this paperweight, consider the social and economic shifts of 19th-century America. Archival records, company catalogs, and period journals can reveal much about the tastes and values of its original owners. Only then can we fully appreciate this seemingly simple object as a product of its time, shaped by the currents of industrialization, consumer culture, and artistic innovation.