Paperweight c. late 19th century

This glass paperweight was created by the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company sometime between 1825 and 1888. Encased within its clear, spherical form is a display of stylized apples and floral details. The composition is immediately striking. The grouping of apples—each marked by smooth gradients of green and red—creates a rhythm that draws the eye around the circumference. These forms are echoed by the placement of emerald leaves that jut from the base of each fruit. The flowers at the centre, rendered in soft blues and purples, serve as the focal point. This central element is then mirrored, distorted, and layered by the magnifying effect of the glass. Here, the materiality of the glass is key. It not only encases the design, preserving it in a pristine state, but also acts as a lens, bending and refracting light. The transparency of the glass serves to destabilize the boundary between the object and its environment, allowing the surface on which it sits to become part of the artwork. The paperweight is not just an object but an event—a fusion of form and light, offering an ever-shifting play of perception.