Feeling a little weighed down? Imagine life as a paperweight.  These days,  glass paperweights are widely produced, collected and appreciated as works of art. They were originally produced in France, ca. 1845 and their popularity rose during the mid 20th  century. The very collectible early versions from 1845 to 1860 were primarily produced in one of three French factories; Baccarat, St. Louis, or Clichy. I have not heard of a collective noun for paperweight collectors, perhaps they may be known as flatologists? (unless anyone has a brighter idea?)

According to Wikipedia: Millefiori (Italian: for thousand flowers) paperweights contain thin cross-sections of cylindrical composite canes made from coloured rods which usually resemble little flowers; although they can be designed after anything; even letters and dates. Swirl pattern paperweights have opaque rods of two or three colours radiating like a pinwheel from a central millefiori floret. A similar style, the marbrie, is a millefiori containing weight that has several bands of colour close to the surface that descend from the apex in a looping pattern to the bottom of the weight. Needless to say, all will do the job incredibly well. Who said we live in a paperless world anyway?

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“Is It Art?”