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Paperweight with Roses

Paperweight with Roses

 
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Object Name: 
Paperweight with Roses
Department
European
Category
Paperweights
Place Made: 
France, Clichy-la-Garenne
Date: 
about 1845-1855
Color
AAT
polychrome
AAT
colorless
AAT
multicolored
Technique
AAT
millefiori glass
AAT
paperweights
Material
AAT
lead glass
Dimensions: 
Overall H: 5.6 cm, Diam (max): 8.2 cm
Accession Number: 
78.3.124
Credit Line: 
Gift of the Honorable and Mrs. Amory Houghton
Location: 
On Display
Description
Colorless, polychrome lead glasses; concentric rings of millefiori canes, including pink and white roses.
Label Text
The millefiori technique used in the mid-19th century was probably little different from that perfected by glassmakers in ancient times. Thin colored glass rods, bundled to create a complex design in cross section, were softened and pulled out to form a pencil-thin cane many yards long. After the cane had been annealed, it was cut into individual slices containing the same miniature design. Many slices of different canes could be placed side by side to create a rich carpet that looked like a meadow of wildflowers. Characteristic patterns help collectors identify the makers of paperweights. Pink-petaled roses were a motif frequently used by many manufacturers. At the Clichy factory near Paris, the rose was combined with the company name to form a signature cane.
Provenance
Houghton, Laura (Mrs. Amory) (Donor), Source to 1978-12-30
Houghton, The Honorable Amory (Donor), Former Collection to 1978-12-30
Extending Exhibits in the Museum Store (2003) illustrated, p. 63;
The Corning Museum of Glass and the Finger Lakes Region (1993) illustrated, p. 45, top left; BIB# 35681
Treasures from The Corning Museum of Glass (1992) illustrated, p. 154, P24; BIB# 35679
A Collector's Guide to Paperweights (1990) illustrated, Fig. 4, p. 17 (upper right); BIB# 98767
Paperweights from The Corning Museum of Glass (1987) illustrated, #2; BIB# 34353

What is AAT?

The Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) (r) is a structured vocabulary for generic concepts related to art and architecture. It was developed by The Getty Research Institute to help research institutions become consistent in the terminology they use.Learn More