MAXWELL PAPERWEIGHT

The Maxwell paperweight is a rare and treasured item for any collector to have in his possession. The William H. Maxwell paperweights are one of the first to be patented in 1882. William H. Maxwell was known as a glass blower by occupation. He began to manufacture some simple items of pictures or labels that were covered in clear glass having a convex shape. Maxwell had many ideas that he was experimenting with at the time. The factory that was making the small glass Maxwell paperweights was totally lost to a fire in 1879. It was thought to be caused by an explosion from the furnace. After the destruction of his first plant William Maxwell teamed with Hartford P. Brown and opened another company called Brown, Maxwell & Co. The company was located in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Some of the glass items that were being made by Brown, Maxwell & Co. were crystal tumblers, prescription vials and lamp founts along with other glass items. One of the company’s specialties was the Maxwell paperweight. The Maxwell paperweight has many different images encased within its clear glass dome. Some are of names and dates of people, photographs of a special event, advertisements of a company or maybe a logo.


The Maxwell paperweight has three categories in which it is grouped. The first group of Maxwell paperweights is a group that includes real life pictures. The paperweight is made with a photograph embedded within the molten glass to be preserved forever. It was the only one like it to be made. A very individual paperweight made for customers. The next category of Maxwell paperweight is a paperweight that promotes a business or company. The business has an advertisement or logo encased in the paperweight to give out as a gift or promotional item. All of the advertisement paperweights were made in mass qualities. Some of the advertisement paperweights have a stamped Brown, Maxwell & Co. beneath the plaque. Variations where sometimes noted on the same company paperweight. Last is a group of Maxwell paperweights that are as individual as the person who ordered them. They are hand painted or decorated to the individual’s design. Some of the paperweights might have a name and date of that person or maybe a place of employment with a picture of some important aspect of their job. One such Maxwell paperweight has a hand painted picture of a train with the engine number painted on the train. It is as unique as the individual.

William H. Maxwell has a variety in the way that he signed his paperweights. One way that he signed his artwork was a dark blue hand written signature on the bottom of the plaque. Another version to his signature is a stamped line with his name and city of his company. Yet other Maxwell paperweights have a rubber stamped name and city with the year of his patent number either above or sometimes below his name and city. One of the earliest signatures of a Maxwell paperweight that has been found is 1882. One of the last known dates to find a signed Maxwell paperweight is in 1887. It is uncertain what happen to William H. Maxwell after the late 1880’s. One can only guess as to his fate, it is unknown if he went to work for someone else or maybe even illness or death stopped is work.

The Maxwell paperweight has many facets to this collectible item. It may be seen as just an object to hold down papers upon a desk or it may be seen as a work of beauty. The paperweights of old had a splendor that the paperweights of today just don’t seem to measure up too. The artist of each piece put his of her special talent into the center of each piece of molten clear glass that was an original art form. The Maxwell paperweight will weight heavy as a favorite of mine.