Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This "Paperweight" is a beautiful example of millefiori glasswork created by Compagnie de Saint Louis around 1845-1860. The piece features an array of colorful flowers and leaves embedded within a clear, red glass sphere. The technique, "millefiori," literally meaning "a thousand flowers," involves creating rods of glass with cross-sections resembling flowers. These rods are then cut into small pieces and fused together to create intricate patterns, such as those seen in this paperweight. This piece is currently on display at The Art Institute of Chicago.