Hobbies And Interests
General Characteristics
Modern and antique paperweights share certain materials and techniques. Paperweights are most commonly made of glass. A small globular, or egg-shaped, piece of glass is filled with often intricate patterns. Bits of colored glass combine to produce the famed millefiori, or "thousand flowers" design that was first developed centuries ago in Italy. Antique paperweights also contain full-sized flowers and other foliage, as well as figures and symbols. Modern paperweights can reproduce these designs or replace them with dynamic abstractions that celebrate the best in modern design.
Millefiori
Millefiori is virtually the hallmark of classical paperweight design. The millefiori technique involves the cutting of long, thin rods of colored glass. The pieces are heated and pressed into complex molds to create the forms of flowers and animals. Additional layers of colored glass are added to each existing layer to create richly shaded rods of glass. Reaching a size of 3 by 6 inches, the finished rod is re-heated, stretched thin, and cut into hundreds of tiny pieces--each a miniature version of the original floral or animal form. The pieces are assembled around a ring to form the design inside a paperweight.
Paperweights of the Classical Period
Industrial techniques in glass production produced the Classical Period of Paperweights that included the 1850s in Europe, and the 1850s and 1860s in the United States. Classical paperweights rely heavily on millefiori, with rings of tiny flowers filling the insides of glass globes. Small scenes were also created, such as flowers sprouting out of rocks, and more complicated landscapes--such as the one with the large salamander that sold for over $156,000 in 1998.
Contemporary Designs
The strict proportions and naturalism of traditional design give way to freedom of form in many modern pieces. Globes become distorted into glass mushrooms or tall vases. Time-honored styles see their interiors filled with flowers that look like they were actually cut from a garden and placed under glass. Artistic realism is replaced with botanical precision. Lalique produces paperweights in the form of gracefully arching human figures and prancing horses. Baccarat features traditional shapes filled with ribbons of color that swim together in surreal profusion.
Potential
Antique and modern paperweights can command equally high prices. The choice is up to the collector. Those who favor certain techniques or images should buy pieces from specific periods or makers. Antique millefiori designs can be collected alongside modern varieties. Lalique animal pieces can become décor accents. Modern paperweights filled with abstract patterns and colors can be used to accent austere monochrome walls. Expect to pay from $100 to $500 for pieces by major makers, and thousands for those of museum quality.