(4) Art Glass Paperweights. Three rounded and one more conical in shape, each with different colors and patterns within. All unsigned. 

Condition: Chips on underside of red paperweight.

Size: 5 x 5 x 4 1/2 in. 

#3532 . 

A paperweight is a small solid object heavy enough, when placed on top of papers, to keep them from blowing away in a breeze or from moving under the strokes of a painting brush (as with Chinese calligraphy). While any object, such as a stone, can serve as a paperweight, decorative paperweights of glass are also produced by individuals or factories, with some of the earliest artisan glass paperweights created by facilities in France during the “classical period” from 1845 to 1860, particularly at Baccarat, Saint-Louis, and Clichy. The decorative paperweights are usually in limited editions, and are collected as works of fine glass art, some of which are exhibited in museums. Decorative paperweights declined in popularity in the late 19th Century before undergoing a revival in the mid-20th Century. Traditionally, decorative glass paperweights have a flat or slightly concave base, usually polished but sometimes frosted, cut in one of several variations, although a footed weight has a flange in the base. The ground on which the inner parts rest may be clear or colored, made of unfused sand, or resemble lace (latticinio). The domed top is usually faceted or cut and made of lead glass and may be coated with one or more thin layers of colored glass, and have windows cut through it to reveal the interior motif. The exact shape or profile of the dome varies from one artist or factory to another, but in fine examples it will act as a lens that, as one moves the weight about, attractively varies the inner design’s appearance. Paperweights that serve a dual purpose as a magnifying glass are common, and often used to gain appreciation of the fine detail of the work within as well the items they sit upon. Workmanship, design, rarity, and condition determine a paperweight’s value, and while visible flaws such as bubbles, striations, and scratches may lessen the value, it is ultimately up to the collector to decide what they like or do not like about a particular paperweight. As of 2024 the record sales price at auction for an antique paperweight was $258,500, paid in 1990 for an Baccarat weight.

Chips on underside of red paperweight.