#0017 Mid-century Italian millefiori glass paperweight with multi-coloured floral canes.

1.5” x 1” Small bubble inside

Glass artisans in the Venetian lagoon on the island of Murano made decorative paperweights using traditional cane-working techniques passed down through generations. These items were crafted during the post-war period to satisfy a growing global demand for Italian decorative art glass and souvenirs. Workers created them by bundling thin coloured glass rods together, fusing them with heat, drawing them out into long canes, and slicing them into small cross-sections called murrine.

Desk workers and home owners used these heavy glass domes on top of loose papers and correspondence to stop them blowing away in drafts. They sat on office desks, writing tables, and mantelpieces in parlours and studies around the world as both functional tools and colourful ornaments. Over time, mass production and changing office habits reduced the need for paperweights, turning them from everyday desk items into decorative display pieces.