Artfact.com Offers Live Bidding For Rare and Beautiful Paperweights

Boston, MA – Collectors of rare hand-blown glass paperweights have discovered an invaluable resource in Artfact.com. Offering up-to-date auction price results and live online bidding at paperweight auctions around the globe, Artfact.com is one of the worlds leading resources for collectors of antiques, fine art, and collectibles such as paperweights. On December 6, in partnership with Freeman’s Auctioneers and Appraisers, Artfact.com presents a live online auction of over 200 antique & contemporary paperweights. For more information, or to register for the auction, visit www.Artfact.com.

The evolution of glass paperweights beyond exclusively utilitarian objects occurred during the mid-19th Century when a niche industry emerged in France, transforming these everyday objects into desirable works of art. Inspired by Italian glass workers in Murano, French glass factories began to explore new techniques in the 1840’s. Their experimental work produced striking decorative motifs, all encased in glass spheres that magnified the intricate detail of the pieces. The popularity of these objects grew exponentially during the late 1840’s, and examples from this period are among the most highly valued by collectors.

Many such examples are offered at Freeman’s Auctioneers of Philadelphia when they present an outstanding Antique & Contemporary Paperweight Auction on December 6, 2010. Highlights of the sale include an incredibly rare antique Baccarat millefiori paperweight, created during the golden age of French paperweights in 1848, is estimated $25,000-$35,000. Another specimen, manufactured by French paperweight titan Clichy, is estimated to sell in the $10,000-$15,000 range. Also offered are a number of glass inkwells, a close cousin of the paperweight manufactured by the same companies. A full auction catalog and live online bidding is available at Artfact.com.

With such an enthusiastic base of collectors, it’s no surprise that a strong demand for paperweights has permeated the auction industry. Their broad price range and relative portability when compared with other collectibles and antiques have spawned a group of collectors as diverse as the objects themselves. More common specimens can range from $5-$10, while the most rare of these objects have brought five and even six-figures at auction. The current record for a paperweight sold at auction is $258,500 for a Clichy basket paperweight, which sold at Sotheby’s in June 1990.

Paperweight collectors are also attracted to the ease and convenience of live online bidding. Artfact.com provides an invaluable resource to these collectors, offering a comprehensive database of past auction prices and live online bidding at paperweight auctions around the globe. Because of the sheer quantity and aesthetic diversity of these fine objects in the auction market, Artfact.com gives collectors a competitive edge when researching, locating and bidding on paperweights at auction.

Artfact.com is the largest global marketplace of fine and decorative arts, antiques, collectibles, and estate auctions. In 2009, Artfact launched two live online bidding platforms, Artfact Live! and Invaluable Live! In the UK, allowing users to bid in real-time on auctions held around the world reaching a community of more than 10 million knowledgeable collectors and dealers worldwide. In 2010, Artfact merged with AuctionZip.com, increasing the reach of their platforms to include thousands of auction houses around the country. Artfact's industry leading database includes more than 57 million complete auction results totaling more than $204 billion in value, including information on more than 500,000 international artists.

Joshua Payne
Fusco and Four
8 Allenwood Street
Boston, MA 02132
617-363-0405

This release was published on openPR.