APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU IT IS A PLEASURE.
>> A FRAGMENT OF THE DREAM IS
HOW TRUMAN CAPOTE DESCRIBED A
GLASS PAPER WEIGHT AND HUNDREDS
OF THOSE DREAMS IN THE FAMOUS
RUBLOFF COLLECTION AND NOW AN
ART GALLERY IN CHICAGO IS
PREPARING TO AUCTION A PORTION
OF THAT COLLECTION WITH THE
SALES GOING TO THE MUSEUM AND A
NONPROFIT.
"CHICAGO TONIGHT" GOT A PREVIEW
OF THIS UNCOMMON EVENT.
>> IN THE HISTORIC FINE ARTS
BUILDING ON SOUTH MICHIGAN
AVENUE, THE GALLERY FOCUSED ON
PAPER WEIGHTS SINCE THE COMPANY
BEGAN IN 1969.
>> A BEAUTIFUL PAPER WEIGHT IS
AN ETERNAL BUBBLE.
IT'S CREATED FROM MOLD ENCRYSTAL
AND INFUSED WITH DELICATE AND
WELL CONSIDERED PLEASING
GEOMETRIES FILLED WITH SHAPES
AND COLORED PIECES OF GLASS THAT
ARE COAXED INTO POSITION AS THE
GLASS COOLS.
>> THEY DRY YOUR EYE IN WHEN YOU
FIND ONE THAT RESONATES IN ITS
SYMMETRY OR IN ITS ORIGINALITY
IT BECOMES A PERSONAL ITEM.
>> PAPER WEIGHTS CAN BE ETCHED
WITH PORTRAITS OF NOTABLE PEOPLE
FILLED WITH LIFE LIKE CREATIONS
OF FLOWERS AND INSECTS OR
PLAYFUL ABSTRACTIONS AND YOU CAN
FIND A 50 POUND PAPER WEIGHT TO
PIN DOWN YOUR PAPERS WHEN A
HURRICANE WIND IS BLOWING.
BUT THE MOST PROMINENT WORKS
COME FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF
CHICAGO.
>> THE ART INSTITUTE HAS
CONTACTED US AND ASKED IF WE
WOULD HELP THEM AUCTION OFF SOME
OF THE DUPLICATES THAT THEY HAVE
FROM THEIR EXHIBIT THERE.
>> THE HAMMER PRICE OF THE
WINNING BID GOES TO THE ART
INSTITUTE.
AND ALSO BENEFITS THE GLASS
PAPER WEIGHT FOUNDATION.
A LAKE FOREST NONPROFIT THAT
SEEKS GREATER AWARENESS OF THE
GLASS PAPER WEIGHT AS AN ART
FORM.
NOT ONLY HAVE THE WORKS BEEN IN
A MUSEUM WHERE THEY ARE
CONSIDERED REDOESN'T DENT THEY
BELONGED TO PROMINENT
CHICAGOANS INCLUDING THE PALMER
FAMILY AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER
ARTHUR RUBLOFF.
MANY COME FROM THE SO-CALLED
CLASSICAL PERIOD IN FRANCE
ANDITALY IN THE MID-19TH
CENTURY.
AND ACCESSORIZING YOUR DESK WAS
IN FASHION AT THE TIME AND YOU
WOULD GET YOUR INK WELL AND YOUR
MATCHING PAPER WEIGHT AND THE
PAPER WEIGHT HAD A LIFE OF ITS
OWN AND THE GLASS WORKS WERE
COMPETING AND THEY ARE EASY TO
COLLECT.
SO WE HAVE MUCH MORE PAPER
WEIGHTS THAN WE HAVE INK WELLS.
>> ONE TECHNIQUE, ITALIAN FOR
1,000 FLOWERS WAS INVENTED 2000
YEARS AGO.
>> IT WAS BAB LOANIANS WHO
BABYLONIANS AND THEY WERE
PULLING PIECES OF GLASS AND
CUTTING CROSS-SECTIONS WHERE YOU
WOULD SEE A FLAT IMAGE OF THE
DESIGN THEY WANTED.
>> A MODERN TECHNIQUE, LAMP WORK
USESES A TORCH TO MOLD THE GLASS
AND CREATE THREE DIMENSIONAL
IMAGES INSIDE.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PIECE, ONE
OF THE MODERN MASTERS YOU WILL
SEE DELICATE FLOWERS AND ROOT
SYSTEMS OF PLANTS AND YOU WILL
SEE ALL KINDS OF THINGS INSIDE
THE GLASS.
>> PART OF THE MYSTERY IS HOW DO
YOU GET THE SUBJECT INSIDE THE
GLOBE?
WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS AT
2500 FAHRENHEIT ANYTHING CARBON
BASED WOULD INCINERATE.
SO THEY HAVE TO USE ONLY THINGS
THAT WOULD SURVIVE WHICH IS
GLASS.
>> PAPER WEIGHTS ARE STURDY BUT
NOT UNBREAK ABLE THEY ARE MOST
LIKELY TO BE DAMAGING AGAINST
ANOTHER PAPER WEIGHT.
AND THE COLOR OF THE GLASS IS AS
BRIGHT AS THE DAY IT WAS MADE.
BUT YOU DO NOT WANT TO PLACE A
PAPER WEIGHT IN SUNLIGHT.
THE GLOBES CAN REFLECT SUNLIGHT
AND START A FIRE.
FOR NOW, THE MUSEUM QUALITY
GLASS PAPER WEIGHTS ARE SEEKING
NEW OWNERS.
AT THE UPCOMING AUCTION EVERY
LOT WILL HAVE A STARTING BID OF
$1,000.
>> IT IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY.
WE WANT THE PAPER WEIGHTS TO GO
TO GOOD HOMES AND WE WANT TO BE
ABLE TO GIVE THE COLLECTORS A
PRESENT SOMETHING THAT HAS
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND
SELECTED PIECES.
>> PIECES THAT ATTRACT ART
COLLECTORS WITH AN EYE FOR
GLASS.
>> THEY LOWER YOUR BLOOD
PRESSURE THEY ARE WORLDS WITHIN
WORLDS.
>> MORE THAN 300 PAPER WEIGHTS
WILL BE UP FOR AUCTION ON
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17TH AND