Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This beautiful paperweight was made at the Clichy Glasshouse, sometime between 1837 and 1885. It's a small object, only about 7 centimeters across, but its production involved complex labor and a highly specialized process. The colorful floral arrangement you see within the clear glass was created using the “millefiori” technique. This means that tiny glass rods were fused together to form intricate patterns, then encased in molten crystal. The result is a jewel-like object, which would have served as a fashionable desk accessory during the height of industrial capitalism. Consider the contrast: the paperweight's delicate beauty masks the intensive work that went into it. The Clichy Glasshouse was known for its skilled artisans, who labored in often harsh conditions. By appreciating the material and making of this object, we start to ask questions about labor, consumption, and the social values embedded within seemingly simple things.