Glossary of Paperweight Identification Terms
Drawn from and adapted under fair
use copyright law-link from
Paperweights for Collectors, Lawrence H. Selman
and Linda Pope-Selman, © 1975,
Paperweight Press, P.O.Box 400,
Santa Cruz CA 95060
The Paperweight Connection Welcome to the L. H.
Selman Ltd. Online Paperweight Gallery
with additional items as noted in each item.
GGNJ - Glass Gaffers of New Jersey
MF - my interpretation or explanation
Revised 2002-11-15, 2003-08-15
Link to Sitemap
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
- A
- AIR RING
- an elongated air inclusion encircling a weight near the
base, usually above and below a torsade.
- ARROW CANE (or CROWSFOOT)
- a millefiori section made from rods containing a three-pronged
arrow motif.
- AVENTURINE
- glass with a sparkling appearance caused by the addition
of metallic crystals to the melt,
- B
- BASAL RIM
- the ring around the bottom of a concave base where the
paperweight comes into contact with the supporting
surface.
- BASE
- the bottom of a paperweight.
- BASKET
- (a) an outer row of millefiori canes, pulled together
underneath the motif to form a staved enclosure for the
decorative element(s); (b) a latticino ground pulled
down in the center (as in St. Louis and American fruit
weights); (c) a latticino ground with a "handle"
of twisted filigree extending above the motif,
- BOUQUET
- a floral design comprised of more than one flower.
- BOUQUET DE MARIAGE
- a mushroom-motif in which the tuft of the mushroom is
composed of white stardust canes.
- C
- CANDY
- adjective commonly used to denote scrambled millefiori
weights.
- CAMEO INCRUSTATION
- another term for any type of sulphide object.
- CANE (or FLORET)
- The small piece of a molded or bundled glass rod that has
been pulled out so that an intricate pattern appears in
cross-section, (Refer to Chapter I for more detailed
description of the cane-making process.)
- CARPET GROUND
- an overall pattern of identical millefiori canes used as
a backdrop for a pattern of other canes or a
representational element.
- CHEQUER WEIGHT
- a paperweight in which the millefiori canes are separated
by short lengths of latticino twists in a checkerboard
fashion.
- CINQUEFOIL
- a garland having five loops.
- CIRCLETS
- small circles of millefiori canes.
- CLEAR GROUND)
- term used for a weight in which the motif rests on clear
glass.
- CLOSE CONCENTRIC MILLEFIORI
- a common spacing scheme in millefiori weights: tightly
packed concentric circles of canes around a central
floret.
- CLOSE MILLEFIORI
- general name for any spacing scheme in millefiori weights
which features a tightly packed random arrangement of
millefiori canes.
- CLOSE PACKED MILLEFIORI
- same as close millefiori.
- COLOR GROUND
- term used when transparent or opaque colored glass has
been used as the background for a paperweight motif.
- COGWHEEL
- millefiori cane which has been molded with a serrated
edge. This type of cane edge is quite common on
silhouette canes.
- CONCENTRIC
- general name for any spacing scheme in millefiori weights
which features concentric circles of canes placed around
a central cane or cluster of canes. Concentric weights
ate either "open" (circles spaced relatively
far apart) or "close" (circles close together),
or "spaced" (millefiori canes set equal
distances apart in vaguely defined concentric circles).
- CROWN
- glass above the motif, also called the "dome."
- CROWN WEIGHT
- a type of paperweight in which alternately colored and
lacy white twisted bands radiate from a central floret
near the top of the dome, flow down the sides of the
weight, and converge again near the base.
- CROWSFOOT
- See ARROW.
- CRYSTALLO-CERAMIE
- The patented name and process developed by Apsley Pellatt.
See SULPHIDE.
- CUSHION
- ground on which the decorative element(s) of a
paperweight rests. It is usually convex in appearance
when viewed through the top or sides of the weight.
- CUTTING
- grinding the surface of a paperweight for ornament.
- D
- DEVIL'S FIRE
- interior
color in sharp
spikes, more or less swirled [GGNJ] color bits on the
bottom of the clear glass are pierced with a long thin
tool, carrying the color up into the clear in a slender
spike - with air in the spike originally - it may be
worked out. [MF]
- DIAMOND CUTTING
- a many-faceted cutting pattern used to decorate the
outside of a weight: four or five-sided small "windows"
next to one another may cover an entire weight.
- DOME
- see CROWN.
- DOORSTOP
- a very large paperweight. These were manufactured
primarily by English bottle-makers and mid-western
American glass houses.
- DOUBLE OVERLAY
- See OVERLAY.
- E
- EDELWEISS CANE
- a white millefiori cane of star shape surrounding a core
of bundled yellow rods - resembling the Swiss national
flower.
- ENCASED OVERLAY
- see OVERLAY.
- END OF DAY
- see SCRAMBLED.
- F
- FACET
- the level or concave surface formed when the side or top
of a paperweight is shaped with a flat or rounded
grinding wheel.
- FILIGREE.
- see LACE.
- FLASH
- a thin coating of transparent glass applied to the base
of a paperweight, or over the entire weight in the case
of certain overlays.
- FLORET
- see CANE.
- FLOWER WEIGHT
- a paperweight in which a single flower is the central
motif. Rose
- FLUTING
- term for a pattern of deep narrow grooves usually cut
vertically on the outside of a paperweight.
- FOOTED
- descriptive term for a weight having its own pedestal
which is flanged at the bottom.
- FOUNTAIN
- [MF] the central color is shaped like water rising from a
fountain sprinkler head, arching up, out and down. If the
center is level, see Mushroom
and if segmented, see Umbrella
- G
- GARLAND
- general name for any spacing scheme in millefiori weights
which features one or more undulating chains of florets
forming a pattern.
- GAUZE
- see LACE.
- GRID CUTTING
- term for set of shallow narrow grooves cut into the base
of a paperweight to form a grid.
- GOLDSTONE,
- a gold aventurine glass used primarily by Italian
glassmakers.
- GROUND
- see CUSHION.
- H
- HAND COOLER
- an egg-shaped paperweight, once a common accessory for
ladies.
- HOBNAIL
- term for set of V-shaped grooves cut into base of
paperweight at right angles to each other, forming a grid
pattern.
- HONEYCOMB CANE
- a type of millefiori rod, the cross-section of which
resembles the cell pattern of a honeycomb. This cane is a
Baccarat specialty.
- I
- INTAGLIO
- a deterioration either pressed or cut into the base of a
piece of glass.
- J
- JASPER GROUND
- paperweight backdrop formed by a mixture of two colors of
finely ground glass.
- K
- L
- LACE (FILIGREE, GAUZE, MUSLIN or UPSET
MUSLIN)
- white or colored glass thread spiraled around a clear
rod. Short segments are used to form a paperweight ground.
- LAMPWORK
- term for manipulation of glass by means of a gas burner
or torch; a process of creating representational
paperweight subjects.
- LATTICINO
- a swirl or spiral arrangement of many white or colored
threads of glass used as a paperweight ground. Lace (see
above) is a type of rod, while latticino is a type of
pattern.
- M
- MACEDOINE
- adjective used to describe a paperweight containing
primarily filigree twists.
- MAGNUM
- a paperweight with a diameter exceeding 3 inches.
- MANTLE WEIGHT
- Decoration intended to be view from the side on a mantle,
usually footed, see image at Devil's
Fire GGNJ, Pl.14
- MARBRIE or MARBLED
- descriptive term for an unusual paperweight design
consisting of colored bands emanating from a cane at the
top of the weight and running along the sides to the
bottom, often in a looping pattern. The decorative
elements of a marbrie weight are close to the surface of
the dome.
- METAL
- old fashioned glassworkers' term for glass.
- MILLEFIORI
- from the Italian phrase for "a thousand flowers."
Used to describe the composite glass cross-section used
in most antique glass paperweights. (Refer to Chapter I
for details on the manufacture of millefiori canes.) [MF
page on making one.
- MINIATURE
- a paperweight with a diameter of less than 2 inches.
- MOSS GROUND
- a paperweight ground consisting of canes made up of green
rods, If such canes are centered on an "edelweiss
cane," the ground is referred to as a "prairie
ground."
- MOTIF
- the design; the internal decoration of a paperweight.
- MUSHROOM WEIGHT
- a paperweight containing an upright mushroom-shaped tuft
of millefiori canes. [MF] A fountain
in which the arched color is worked to a mushroom shape [GGNJ]
OR a weight where the outer glass is mushroom shaped; as
I make [MF]
- MUSLIN
- see LACE.
- N
- NOSEGAY
- term for a paperweight motif consisting of a flat bouquet
using millefiori canes as flowers, set on a spray of
green leaves.
- O
- OVERLAY WEIGHT
- a paperweight that has been coated with one ("single
overlay"), two ("double overlay"), or
three ("triple overlay") layers of glass and
then had windows cut in it to allow visual access to the
inner motif. "Flash overlays" are coated with
translucent glass before cutting. "Encased overlays"
ace double overlays with an additional thick layer of
clear glass added before cutting.
- P
- PAPERWEIGHT
- for the purposes of this book, a glass sphere or plaque
enclosing decorative elements such as millefiori canes.
lampworked motifs of colored glass, sulphide portraits,
or metallic motifs.
- PANEL WEIGHT
- a paperweight in which clusters of similar canes form
alternating sections separated either by exposed sections
of the weight's ground, filigree twists, canes or rods,
- PASTRY MOLD CANE
- a millefiori cane which flares ("skirts") out
at its basal end; this type of cane is found particularly
in Clichy weights.
- PATTERNED MILLEFIORI
- general term for any spacing scheme in millefiori weights
which features ordered groupings of florets forming a
design.
- PEDESTAL WEIGHT
- see FOOTED WEIGHT.
- PICTORAL WEIGHTS [GGNJ]
- a scene, like a house and a well with Home Sweet Home, in
colored glass is picked out in colored glass on a white
background. "Hundreds of such county-fair souvenirs
were made" 1860-1920 laid out on a ready made
intaglio-cut steel plate, "paint by numbers"
Superior weights have more imaginative scenes which may
be upright not flat. [GGNJ p.260]
- PIEDOUCHE
- French term for footed weight.
- PINCHBECK WEIGHT
- not a "true" paperweight as defined above,
because not entirely enclosed in glass. A metallic disk
with a raised design is covered by a magnifying glass
lens, all resting on a pewter or alabaster base.
- PONTIL SCAR
- the characteristic mark in the center of a weight's base,
where the weight was separated from the rod that had
supported it during production.
- PRINTY
- Circular concave cutting on the outside of a paperweight
- a type of window or facet. Also sometimes "punty."
- PROFILE,
- the shape of a paperweight as viewed from the side.
- Q
- QUATREFOIL
- a four-lobed design used as (1) the central element of a
millefiori cane; (2) a faceting scheme for the exterior
ornamentation of some paperweights; (3) a garland pattern.
- R
- RIBBON
- a flat cane, sometimes twisted, used in crown weights, torsades, and
chequer weights.
- ROCK GROUND
- a granular, uneven paperweight ground formed with unfused sand, mica flakes, and green glass. It is sometimes
used alone and sometimes as a supporting backdrop for
snakes or salamanders.
- ROD
- a cylindrical length of glass, most often containing a
simple molded design of more than one color; the basic
component of a millefiori cane.
- ROSE [GGNJ]
- A weight with a single flower, perhaps with a couple of
leaves, made with a "crimp" that pushes petal
shaped colored glass up into the clear, which is then
worked to shape, encased, leaves added, and further
encased. [MF] Modern flower weights often contain
lampworked flowers, instead of crimped.
- S
- SAND GROUND
- see ROCK GROUND
- SCATTERED MILLEFIORI
- a somewhat irregular spaced concentric millefiori pattern.
- SCRAMBLED MILLEFIORI
- a millefiori paperweight design in which whole and broken
canes, and sometimes white or colored "lace,"
are jumbled together to fill the weight.
- SET-UP
- used interchangeably with "motif" to denote the
central element(s) in a representational weight.
- SIGNATURE CANE
- a millefiori cane bearing the logo, name or initial(s) of the
weight's factory of origin or the artist who created it.
- SILHOUETTE CANE
- a millefiori cane which in cross-section reveals the
silhouette of an animal, flower, or human figure.
- SINGLE OVERLAY
- see OVERLAY.
- SPACED CONCENTRIC MILLEFIORI
- a common spacing scheme in millefiori weights: individual
florets are spaced widely and equidistantly in separated
circles. (MF created by having clear casing on the
individual florets.)
- SPIRAL
- an opaque glass thread wound around a clear rod.
- STAR CUT,
- a many-pointed star incised into the base of a weight for
decoration,
- STAR DUST GROUND
- a ground made up of white star rods.
- STAVE
- a flattened glass tube, such as those used to form Clichy
roses.
- STRIAE (or STRIATIONS)
- streaks of glass of different optical quality caught in
the dome of a paperweight. Striae can give the glass a
sugary or grainy appearance which is undesirable.
- STRAWBERRY CUT (or STRAWBERRY-DIAMOND
CUT)
- term for a set of grid cuts made in a paperweight's base.
- SULPHIDE (CRYSTALLO-CERAMIE or
CAMEO INCRUSTATION)
- a three-dimensional ceramic medallion or portrait plaque
used as a decorative enclosure for paperweight or other
glass object.
- SWIRL WEIGHT
- a paperweight design featuring opaque colored rods of two
or three colors radiating in pinwheel fashion from a
central millefiori floret. The design in a swirl weight
has a flat appearance.
- T
- THUMBPRINT CUT
- an oval, elongated concave window.
- TORSADE
- an opaque glass thread loosely wound around a filigree
core, usually found near the base of a mushroom weight.
- TREFOIL
- a garland with three loops.
- TUFT
- see MUSHROOM WEIGHT.
- U
- UMBRELLA
- [MF] when the central color of a Fountain
is segmented like an umbrella, the center depressed or
not [GGNJ p.260]
- UPRIGHT BOUQUET
- a three-dimensional grouping of canes and stylized
lampwork flowers set on a bed of leaves.
- V
- W
- WHORL ROD
- a millefiori cane component with a spiral-like cross-section.
Often this is used as the center of a cluster of star
rods.
- WINDOW
- see FACET.
- X
- Y
- Z