Mtarfa Glassblowers Handmade Art Glass Fish Shaped Paperweight

Small in scale but full of life, this hand-made art glass fish paperweight by the Mtarfa Glassblowers of Malta captures the fluid energy of studio glass at its most intimate, the colours shifting and pooling within the form in the way that only hand-worked glass can achieve.

Made by the Mtarfa Glassblowers of Malta in the 20th century, this fish-shaped paperweight is a product of one of Malta's most respected studio glass traditions. The Mtarfa Glassblowers, working from the island of Malta, produced hand-made art glass objects in the tradition of Maltese studio glass, a craft with deep roots in the island's artisan heritage. Each piece from the Mtarfa workshop is unique, the colours and form determined by the glassblower's hand rather than a mould, and the fish form, with its tapering tail and rounded body, is rendered with the kind of fluid naturalism that distinguishes studio glass from factory production. The warm tones within the body of the piece shift with the light, giving the paperweight a liveliness that makes it as much a display object as a functional one. The piece is in very good condition throughout.

• Maker: Mtarfa Glassblowers, Malta
• Dimensions: 17 cm (H) x 7 cm (W)
• Condition: Very Good
• Technique: Hand-made studio glass
• Period: 20th century
• SKU: CBD-0134

A charming piece of Maltese studio glass for the collector of art glass paperweights and decorative glass objects. Pairs naturally with the Mdina hand-blown seahorse sculpture (SKU-00236) and the hand-blown striped puffer fish (CBD-0133) in our Art Glass collection.