Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight was made at the Clichy Glasshouse in France sometime between 1837 and 1885. It’s made of many tiny glass canes, each patterned with a flower, fused together and encased in clear glass. These miniature wonders were luxury goods, reflecting both the opulence of the period, and the incredible skill required to make them. Think about the labor involved in creating each of these tiny components, drawn and shaped from molten glass. Each cane would have been made individually, before being bundled together and fused. The Clichy Glasshouse was known for its exceptional craftsmanship and the exquisite detail of its millefiori designs. "Millefiori" means "a thousand flowers" in Italian, which perfectly describes the effect achieved in this paperweight. These objects reflect a moment in time, before industrial manufacturing had fully taken hold. They represent a fascination with the handmade, but within the context of an increasingly consumerist society. The paperweight invites us to consider the social context of craft, and its place in a world of both artistry and industry.