Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This "Paperweight" is a mid-19th century example of the millefiori glass technique, created by the Compagnie de Saint Louis, a French glassmaking company known for its intricate designs. The swirling, opaque, blue, white, and green glass encloses an intricate pattern in the center of the paperweight, created by assembling rods of colored glass together and cutting them into cross sections before fusing them into a single piece. Millefiori, meaning "thousand flowers" in Italian, is a glassmaking technique that dates back to ancient Roman times. The technique allows glassmakers to achieve a unique and detailed design with every single creation. This paperweight is a testament to the skill and artistry of 19th-century French glassmakers.