Glass Paperweights

A statement of tabletop security, the glass paperweight comes with the added advantage of being brilliantly beautiful. From multifaceted millefiori motifs to Saint Louis styles, the glass paperweight illustrates a unique aspect of luxury glass production.

First introduced around the mid-19th century, the glass paperweight took the public by storm. It achieved particular popularity in France, where the great makers from Baccarat to Pantin created captivating designs. The paperweights were relatively inexpensive to produce, yet they nevertheless became a symbol of status. As their acclaim grew, many top-end designers elevated the paperweight to an art form, creating examples that were pleasing both functionally and aesthetically.

This level of innovation continues among glass paperweight designers today. Now, no shape is off limits: from oblong to more angular styles, the glass paperweight is still as fresh and style conscious as it was one hundred years ago. Antique glass paperweights capture the spirit and beauty of bygone generations.

Quick Facts

• The origin of the glass paperweight can be traced to Pietro Baggaglia, a Venetian glassmaker who debuted his first weights at the 1845 Industrial Exposition in Vienna
• Late 18th-century Russian Tsar Paul I died by paperweight. While being chased by attackers in his bedchambers, he fell, causing a gilt paperweight to tumble from his writing desk
• Waterford designer Jim O'Leary created a commemorative Star Wars-themed paperweight in response to the success of the original movie's release