Glossary

 

carpet ground	a background design comprised of densely packed millefiori canes, usually similar in design and color
chequers	spaced millefiori canes separated by a checkerboard-style grid of short filigree twists, colored ribbons, or glass rods
close concentric millefiori	millefiori canes arranged in closely spaced concentric rings around a central millefiori cane or cluster of canes
crimp	a tool, often brass, used to press a three-dimensional design into a molten gather of glass, such as in the making of Milleville Roses
crown weight	a paperweight with alternating lengths of vertically twisted colored ribbons and filigree extending from the base to the top of the dome, capped with a millefiori cane
cut glass technique	a technique of cutting into the surface of a glass object with a stone or iron wheel, which creates grooves, grids, and other reflective surfaces
doorstop	a paperweight measuring greater in height than diameter
encased overlay	an overlay weight encased in clear glass
engraving	a technique of cutting into the surface of glass with a metal or stone wheel to create lines or forms, such as portraits
facet	a flat cut on the exterior surface (of a paperweight)
filigree	a clear glass rod enclosing thin, spirally twisted opaque white or colored glass threads
filigree ground	a ground composed of a scattering of short lengths of filigree twists; also called upset muslin
flash	a thin layer of transparent glass applied to the exterior dome of a paperweight as a single overlay, or to the exterior base as a colored ground
garland	an arrangement of millefiori canes in loops, circlets, or other chained configuration
gather	a mass of molten glass on the pontil before it is blown or worked
handcooler	an egg-shaped glass form; according to varied sources, once used to cool ladies' hands
hollow blown technique	a technique of working glass in which the glassblower expels air through a hollow pontil into the gather of glass, forming a hollow globe
jasper ground	a ground made of partially pulverized glass, usually in two or more colors, that resembles the gemstone jasper
lampworking	a technique of shaping clear or colored glass rods with a torch or blowlamp; used in forming all non-millefiori design elements of paperweights, such as animals, flowers, vegetables, and leaves
latticinio	an arrangement of thin, opaque white or colored glass threads in spirals, swirls, or latticework
magnum weight	a paperweight with a diameter greater than 3 1/2 inches
marbrie	a hollow-blown paperweight with a single opaque white overlay festooned with colored loops
millefiori	Italian for "thousand flowers"; adescriptive term for paperweights incorporating any arrangement of millefiori canes
millefiori cane	a segment of glass sliced in cross section from a cylindrical glass rod enclosing a continuous design formed by the bunching of multiple canes in a pattern
miniature weight	a paperweight with a diameter of two inches or less
mushroom	an upright tuft of close millefiori or close concentric millefiori canes, tapering at the base and flaring at the top
overlay	a paperweight that has been coated with one (single overlay), two (double overlay) and sometimes three (triple overlay) layers of opaque or transparent glass and cut with windows to expose the enclosed motif
pastry-mold cane	a millefiori cane that flares at the base
pattern millefiori	a general term for any ordered grouping of millefiori canes other than the defined pattern classifications (such as close or concentric); some patterns are lines, garlands, and circles
Pinchbeck weight	a paperweight with a relief design of metal leaf simulating silver or worked in "Pinchbeck Gold," an alloy simulating gold that was invented by Englishman Christopher Pinchbeck (1670-1732); Pinchbeck designs are set in a base typically of pewter or marble under a magnifying clear glass dome
pontin, pontil rod	also called a punty; a solid or hollow metal rod used during manufacture to hold and work molten glass from the furnace or from a mold (millefiori base)
posy	a bouquet of millefiori cane flowers
printy	a concave (usually round or oval) cut on the exterior of a paperweight
ribbon	a flattened band of white glass, usually overlaid with one or more colors
rod	a clear or colored, solid cylindrical length of glass
scrambled millefiori	a random assemblage of whole or broken millefiori canes, often including filigree twists and colored ribbons
set-up	a group of lampworked pieces, such as petals and leaves, that will be enclosed in a gather of clear glass in a paperweight
silhouette cane	a millefiori cane enclosing an animal, flower, or figural silhouette of (usually) dark-colored glass
single-cane millefiori	a glass design featuring a single millefiori cane, such as a central cane on a jasper ground
spaced concentric millefiori	millefiori canes arranged in spaced concentric rings
spaced millefiori	a somewhat random arrangement of isolated millefiori canes
stave	a flattened, opaque white or colored cane
stave basket	an outer sheath of staves extending down to the base of the weight, usually arranged in alternating colors
sulphide	a glass-clay paste cameo incrusted in glass
swirl weight	a paperweight with opaque colored glass rods arranged pinwheel-style around a center millefiori cane
torsade	a circuar filigree ring of spiraling opaque white and/or colored glass threads
upset muslin	a tossled arrangement of short filigree sections used as a ground in a paperweight; also called a filigree ground
wafer dish	a shallow glass dish used to hold wax letter seals; it usually has a paperweight base; also called a tazza