Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

The Clichy Glasshouse created this paperweight sometime between 1837 and 1885, using glass. The Clichy Glasshouse was known for its exquisite glass paperweights which became very popular during the mid-19th century. During this time, the Industrial Revolution transformed production processes. The creation of decorative objects, such as this paperweight, reflects a growing interest in luxury goods among the middle class. Enclosed within the clear glass is a delicate flower, a symbol of beauty and fragility. The choice to encase it in glass can be seen as an attempt to preserve its fleeting beauty, to hold onto something delicate in a rapidly changing world. The flower is like a specimen carefully preserved for study. These paperweights were often given as gifts. The intimate scale suggests a personal connection, a token of affection, perhaps. There’s something deeply human about wanting to capture and hold onto beauty, even as time marches on.