Paper weight, also called “paper holder“, is an object used to press the paper when one writes or paints. The paper weight we usually see is in rectangular bar shape.

In the ancient times, men of letters were fond of small-sized bronze or jade articles. They often put these articles on the desk and appreciated them. As these objects usually had some weight, the literati tended to use them to hold paper or books. As time passed by, a stationery called paper weight gradually came into being.

A lot of materials could be made into paper weight, such as bronze, jade, stone, porcelain, wood, bamboo, and so on.

Paperweights are decorative objects, designed to hold sheets of paper on a surface to prevent wind from blowing them away.

Paperweights are commonly made from glass, although may also be made from clear acrylic or other materials. They are often collected as examples of fine workmanship, and appreciated for their aesthetic as opposed to their utilitarian aspect. They are often exhibited in art museums as examples of fine glass art.

They generally have a flat base and a domed top, which may be faceted or etched. The weight may be coated with one or more thin layers of colored glass, and have windows cut through it to reveal the interior motif. The ground on which the inner parts rest may be clear or colored, made of unfused sand, or resemble lace.

Antique paperweights were made primarily in three French factories, between 1845 and 1860, in Baccarat, St. Louis, and Clichy. Weights (mainly of lesser quality) were also made in the United States, Great Britain, and elsewhere, though Bacchus (UK) and New England Glass Company (USA) produced some that equaled the best of the French. Modern weights have been made from about 1950 to the present.

There are many paperweight collectors worldwide. Several collectors associations hold national or regional conventions, and sponsor activities such as tours, lectures, and auctions.