Door handle
c. 1845–60
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
12.4 × 5.4 cm (4 7/8 × 2 1/8 in.)
Classification
paperweight
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
188297
Art Historical Context
This charming glass door handle, crafted by the renowned Clichy Glasshouse around 1845–60, exemplifies the pinnacle of 19th-century French glassmaking ingenuity. Though classified as a paperweight its whimsical form mimics a functional door pull, blending utility with decorative flair. Measuring just 12.4 × 5.4 cm, this diminutive object from the Art Institute of Chicago Applied Arts of Europe collection the era's fascination with intricate, desk-bound novelties. Clichy near Paris, was a leading producer of paperweights during the mid-0s, a time when these weighted glass domes surged in popul...
About the Artist
Clichy Glasshouse · 1837–1885
The Verrerie de Clichy, also known as the Clichy Glasshouse or Cristalleries de Clichy, was established in 1837 through the merger of local glassworks at Billancourt near Paris, under the direction of Rouyer and Maes. The firm relocated to Clichy-la-Garenne in 1839, where it initially produced utilitarian items like bottles and tableware before pivoting to luxury glass objects amid France's burgeo...