Paperweight

Paperweights are heavy and often decorative originally intended to hold sheets of paper on a surface to prevent wind from blowing the paper away. Paperweight are commonly made from glass, although other materials, such as clear acrylic, are used as well. more...

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Often collected as examples of fine workmanship, and appreciated for their aesthetic as opposed to their utilitarian aspect. They generally are of solid glass, and have a flat base and a domed top, which acts like a lens to magnify and make the parts within move as it is handled.

The dome or base may be faceted or etched. The weight may be coated with one or more thin layers of colored glass, and have windows cut through it to reveal the interior motif. The ground on which the inner parts rest may be clear or colored, have a granular ground made of unfused sand, or resemble lace (latticinio).

Paperweights are made by sole artisans, and in factories where many artists and technicians collaborate. Both may produce inexpensive as well as "collector" weights. The dividing line between these classes, of course, is up to the individual collector.

Antique paperweights were made primarily in three French factories, between 1845 - 1860: Baccarat, St. Louis, and Clichy. Weights (mainly of lesser quality) were also made in the U.S., Great Britain, and elsewhere, though Bacchus (UK) and New England Glass Company (USA) produced some that equalled the best of the French. St. Louis is producing limited quantities (100 to 300) again today. Modern weights have been made from about 1950 to the present.

Workmanship, design, rarity, and condition determine the value of a paperweight. They range in price from a few dollars, to a record $258,500 once paid for an antique French weight. Antique weights, of which perhaps 10,000 or so survive (mostly in museums), generally appreciate steadily in value.

Visible flaws, such as bubbles, striations and scratches affect the value. Glass should not have a yellow or greenish cast, and there should be no unintentional asymmetries, or unevenly spaced or broken elements. In a modern piece, an identifying mark and date are imperative.

There are approximately 20,000 paperweight collectors worldwide. Several collectors associations hold national or regional conventions, and sponsor activities such as tours, lectures, and auctions.

Types of paperweights

Collectors may specialize in one of several types of paperweights:

Millefiori paperweights contain thin cross-sections of cylindrical composite canes made from colored rods and usually resemble little flowers, although they can be designed after anything. These are usually made in a factory setting. The exist in many variations such as scattered, patterned, close concentric or carpet ground.

Lampwork paperweights have objects such as flowers, fruit, butterflies or animals constructed by shaping and working bits of colored glass with a gas burner or torch and assembling them into attractive compositions, which are then incorporated into the dome. This is a form particularly favored by studio artists.

Read more at Wikipedia.org