Art Forms in Glass

Paperweights have got to be one of the most intriguing, and colorful, collections one can have.

Anyone who thinks paperweights don't cost much as an art form should know that the most expensive paperweight in the world sold for $258,000 in 1990, according to the International Paperweight Society's trivia page!

My own very humble paperweight collection, which I like to keep on a round mirrored tray table, has some intriguing pieces. My favorite is this pink flower encased in the glass.


Paperweights have been around for a long, long time. Glass factories in Europe, particularly France, were making paperweights as far back as the mid 1800s. Victorians loved playing games. Some glass makers fashioned intricately detailed paperweights for them to look at. Some paperweights had designs and colors that resembled jewels, all sprinkled and preserved under glass, according to the Society. There's also a Paperweight Collectors Association that has conventions for people interested in this art form.






In addition to being fascinating to look at, paperweights also served a functional purpose. In the 1880s, file cabinets had not yet been invented so paperweights were used to keep papers on desks from flying out when someone walked by, according to research.


Some paperweights have flowers as their main focal point. There are also paperweights with animal figures, hearts, fruit, and swirls of color, all under glass.







When glassblowers fuse bundles of glass rods together, they make canes in a variety of colors. Then, the canes are cut to fit a design. This kind of paperweight is called "millefiore," which is an Italian term that means "thousand flowers." Millefiore paperweights are extremely beautiful and intricate but one would imagine they also are quite expensive.


In my collection, there is a paperweight with a deep blue flower and a red flower can be seen in a heart-shaped weight. A turquoise paperweight is also quite lovely and resembles bubbles in water reminiscent of the Caribbean.





None of the paperweights in my collection cost very much money but each is still very cherished.

What do you like about paperweights? Do you have any?