Paperweight c. 19th century

This 19th-century paperweight, created by the Clichy Glasshouse, is a stunning example of millefiori glass. This technique, meaning "thousand flowers" in Italian, involves arranging rods of colored glass into a cross-section, then fusing them together. The resulting pattern is then sliced and used to create the intricate floral designs seen in this paperweight. Millefiori glass was particularly popular in the 19th century, with the Clichy Glasshouse being a renowned producer of these decorative objects. This paperweight is a testament to the beauty and precision of this traditional glassmaking technique.