The purpose of this book is to introduce paperweight collecting to those people who may be interested in these fascinating and mysterious small glass objects, but are not quite ready to start a collection without some basic knowledge. Back in 1969, when my husband and I first became interested in paperweights, information was at a premium. The limited number of books about paperweights were often hard to come by. Occasionally, articles were published in magazines, and once in a while, an article appeared in a newspaper. You were lucky if you heard about the article and luckier still to find a copy! Some wonderful books were published as far back as 1940 when paperweight collector Evangeline Bergstrom’s book Old Glass Paperweights first appeared.* In fact, many old books, paperweight journals, newspaper and magazine articles have become valuable in their own right, now sought after as collectors’ items. The positive side about this paucity of literature was that you read everything you could get your hands on, good, poor or terrific. Today, even the very best of these publications, many still considered top notch, contain at least some information that could be updated and corrected as a result of recent findings. Still, many of these books and articles remain as valuable resources. Since the “Paperweight Renaissance” in the mid twentieth century, the number of available books about paperweights has increased explosively. To consider acquiring and/or reading all of them creates a heavy burden on reader, purse and bookshelf. Some are wonderful, containing well documented information; some are even extraordinary, the result of careful research; and a few are mediocre and will probably end up on the back shelf, the pages barely worn. Before a potential paperweight aficionado becomes confused or overwhelmed by the vast number of books, it seemed there was an opportunity to provide a general view of the topic that could be easily read and referred to at just the right time. It was to meet this perceived need that “Glass Paperweights 101” was written. As the title suggests, this book about glass paperweights is intended as an introduction to and overview of the subject. Should this book inspire readers to delve into these more scholarly works, I will personally consider this introductory volume to have been a great success. After digesting the contents of this purposely limited volume, I hope readers who are new to this area of collecting or perhaps just thinking about it, will be inspired to become impassioned paperweight collectors who will develop a discriminating eye. Great adventures are in store for the new paperweight collector. *This was one of the earliest books published a about paperweights. Although the Bergstrom book contains many inaccuracies, considering the scarcity of available information about paperweights at the time, it is amazing that so much that was written is correct.

The Cristallerie de Clichy was arguably the finest paperweight maker in the world during the classic period. In their relatively short history they made some of the finest weights ever produced. This book is the history of Clichy, focusing on its magnificent glass paperweights. The author has spent over thirty years, and driven over a million miles, researching and photographing weights for inclusion in this book. Here the reader will find the history of the crystalworks and its wonderful creations. Also included is an overview of the period world's fairs, starting with the first one, the London Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851. Clichy was an award winner and major contributor to these stunning exhibitions which helped shape industry and commerce worldwide.Clichy's classic period millefiori and lampwork paperweights, as well as cameo and foil incrustations, and paperweight-related objects are covered in detail. The broad range of approaches to a subject and the relative rarity of each is discussed. Clichy's weights-from the most common to the rarest-are all here. This book is a must for any connoisseur of Clichy crystal or paperweight collector. This large format book has 240 pages and is lavishly illustrated with almost 900 color photographs and over 100 original drawings..... As we have come to expect from Paul Dunlop, the illustrations are outstanding; he has captured the typical warm, rich colors of Clichy paperweights beautifully and goes to great pains to show the weights their actual size.This long-promised volume, Clichy Paperweights-classics of the nineteenth century, brings an impressive amount of new information to light. Everything you wanted to know or cared to imagine about Clichy paperweights can likely be found in this truly outstanding reference book which should rightly take a prominent place in every serious collector's bookcase.John D. Hawley - Author and Collector