Gift Giving: Paperweights or Precious Objets d'Art?

"The invention of paper has been traced back to 105 CE, during the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE) in China, so it stands to reason that the paperweight would soon follow. Listed in the Catalogue of the Collection of Chinese Exhibits at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, 1904 are a number of paperweights; the earliest, made from white jade and shaped like real and mythical beasts, dates as far back as the Han dynasty. 

• Info Source:  Where Did the Paperweight Come From? by Sonia Weiser; published June 3, 2015 in mentalfloss.com

Glass paperweights first appeared in nineteenth century Europe.

The Classic Period of French Paperweights ranged from around 1845 to 1855 (60?); and this time frame is considered to be paperweight-making at its best.

Though some may view paperweights as an ordinary run-of-the-mill desk accessory, others deemed these decorative objets d'art quite valuable and they were kept secured in the treasure vaults of kings and other famous people.

The French are given credit for starting this, but American glass companies manufacture paperweights in both classic and contemporary styles.

There are a number of museums, particularly in the United States, that exhibit exceptional paperweight collections. The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, is just one of them.

“The most expensive paperweight in the world was sold by Sotheby's Auction House in 1990 for $258,000 (US).

The millefiori glass paper weight – "Basket of Flowers" – was produced in the mid-19th century by Clichy glass factory in France.”

• Info Source:  GlassFacts.info

CAUTION! Take care where you place a paperweight. Avoid direct sunlight. A fire that caused some serious damage in June 2010 was caused by a paperweight on a desk that concentrated the suns rays onto a pile of books which burst into flames.

The really cool thing is that there are literally thousands of paperweights (possibly even millions since they've been around since the about the 1800s), in all shapes and sizes - apples, hearts, flowers, stars, squares, circles, diamonds, egg-shaped, etc. Plus paperweights can be personalized. Also, some paperweights are quite valuable. They could be collectibles or collector's items. A classy paperweight can adorn your workstation and serve as a constant reminder that the gift-giver really appreciates the work you do, and thinks you're "important". A visitor to your office will even notice a paperweight if it's sitting on top of clutter. I did! :)

Sometimes people complain that getting a gift card is impersonal. They express their displeasure by saying that the card-giver was too lazy to take the time and think of a personal gift. Truthfully never heard anybody say that about paperweights. A paperweight is always nice! People very seldom RE-gift a paperweight. Once it's received, they use it all year round!

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