Millefiori, Italian for a thousand flowers, is a glassmaking technique in which thin rods of coloured glass are bundled, fused and drawn out into canes whose cross-section shows a pattern, often resembling a tiny flower or star. Slices of these canes are then arranged and embedded in clear or coloured glass to create a densely patterned surface.
The method has ancient origins in the mosaic glass of the Roman world but was revived and developed by the glassmakers of Murano near Venice, who gave it its name. Its most celebrated use is in paperweights, which reached a high point in France in the mid nineteenth century at the Baccarat, Clichy and Saint-Louis factories, and were also made in Britain, Bohemia and America. Millefiori also appears on vases, bowls, beads, door handles and inkwells. When assessing a piece, collectors examine the precision and variety of the canes, the clarity of the surrounding glass, the presence of date or signature canes and the condition of the surface, since bruising and scratches detract from value. Modern Murano and Scottish production continues, so distinguishing period work from later output requires a practised eye.
