Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This intricate glass paperweight, created by the Clichy Glasshouse, is a prime example of the intricate, multi-layered "Millefiori" technique. The "thousand flower" design, popular in the mid-19th century, involves fusing together rods of colored glass before being sliced and arranged to create the mesmerizing floral patterns, seen in this piece, which is now in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.