Glass Paperweights
An Extraordinary Art Form
by Art Elder, Past President
Paperweight Collectors Association of Texas
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by Art Elder, Past President
Paperweight Collectors Association of Texas
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Glass paperweights have been described as one of the world's best-kept secrets. The secret is not because of a conspiracy, but because of a simple lack of exposure. This is a real shame, because once people see them, understand how they are made, and their history, they are genuinely fascinated with them.
I know that I've told people that I collect glass paperweights, and their response has been, You collect what? I've never heard of anyone collecting those.
I hope this presentation will help you understand the magical beauty of paperweights, and that you will derive the pleasure from them that I do. Hopefully, you will also develop an appreciation of this art form and an understanding of the significance of paperweights in the art world.
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OK, what are paperweights anyway? When I talk about paperweights, I'm referring to small glass objects containing colorful canes in complex designs, or graceful flowers, bouquets, or even animals that are encased in crystal. Fine glass paperweights were made by glass artists who were also master craftsmen. Whether or not they were ever used to hold down paper is immaterial. Probably less than 1/2 of 1% are ever used for this purpose. Instead, they are prized for their beauty, grace, and, in some cases, rarity.
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This picture on the right is an example of a complex bouquet botanical made by Paul Stankard, the recognized Dean of contemporary paperweight artists. Although the flowers may appear realistic, they are actually sculpted from colored glass rods, and then encased in molten glass at temperatures of 1500-2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Through time, paperweights have steadily appreciated in value, and some have been outstanding investments. An example, (on the left) is this antique paperweight of silkworms. It was made by the Pantin factory, we think, as a special exhibit piece for the 1878 Paris Exhibition. This paperweight commemorated the work of Louis Pasteur, for preventing a disease that threatened to decimate the silkworm. Pasteur was credited with saving the French silk industry. We lose track of the paperweight from the exhibit in 1878, until 1931, when it was bought by a London dealer for 6 pounds (about $30), and sold immediately to a collector for 26 pounds (about $130). In 1952 it sold at auction for 1200 pounds (about $3,600), and in 1983 it was auctioned again for a then record price of $143,000. This weight is now part of the Rubloff Collection exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago. However, few paperweights are bought strictly for their investment potential. The majority of collectors buy them because of their love for and fascination with these objects.
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In case you're curious, the world record price for a paperweight was set at just over a quarter-million dollars in a 1990 Sothebys auction, and this is a picture of it. This antique millefiori weight, produced in the mid 1800s by the French Clichy factory, is known as the Basket of Flowers. Studying the piece, it is apparent that originally the basket had a handle, but it has been broken off.
Most paperweight images courtesy L. H. Selman
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