Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight was made by the Compagnie de Saint Louis, using glass. A seemingly simple object, it's actually a tour-de-force of glassmaking. Think about it. The swirling blue and white patterns, and that incredibly detailed central ‘floret’ made from tiny millefiori, weren't painted on the surface. They're all inside, suspended in clear glass. This effect requires an intense mastery of heat to manipulate molten glass, and the ability to work at a tiny scale. Glass rods of different colors are bundled together and fused, then stretched and sliced to reveal the intricate designs within. These are then arranged and encased in more molten glass, a bit like building a ship in a bottle. Paperweights like these were luxury objects in their day, emblems of status displayed on a desk. But they also reflect industrialization, requiring a highly skilled workforce, standardized processes, and a market hungry for beautiful things. They blur the line between art, craft, and industry.