Paperweight c. 1850 - 1875

This glass paperweight featuring a floral motif was made by the New England Glass Company sometime in the 19th century. Paperweights such as this were luxury items, popular among the burgeoning middle and upper classes during the Victorian era. These objects were collected and displayed as symbols of taste and refinement, reflecting the social aspirations of their owners. The floral design itself, rendered with careful detail, speaks to the Victorian fascination with the natural world. The New England Glass Company and others like it mass-produced such items, democratizing access to art and design. The weight has a double meaning, both practically holding down documents and symbolically representing the stability and order that the Victorian era sought to project. To fully understand objects like this paperweight, we can consult trade catalogs, advertisements, and other archival documents. These sources help shed light on the social and economic context in which such objects were made and used.