There are myriad reasons why it's not from China, most of which I've articulated above. There are clearly defined characteristics regarding all paperweights, even China-made paperweights. This weight fits none of the Chinese factors. It's a signed Schneider, so now we have to discover who or what Schneider is.
Additionally, if it were from China, hundreds of others would have the same weight and most assuredly, some of these people would be contributors to this board. China's glass industry doesn't simply release one-off paperweights. And the odds of a one-off paperweight showing up at a cluttered antique shop in Chicago USA are long. The owner of the shop said she had read about a man she thinks is Charles Schneider in France, and I'm still doing resarch on this aspect, but I'm not finding any paperweights.
In all collecting, there are absolutes - those things of which we can be sure. Regarding some weights, it might be one thing, or it could be many. A weight that is not bubbly, non-striated, not soapy to the touch, has a precision-ground and polished base, has a pristine lampwork flower, and is crystal clear in terms of coloring is not Chinese. Flowers in Chinese paperweights have a clearly defined look, which helps identify them as Chinese. And 100% of the large and/or pedestal Chinese weights I've seen will have a flower with some creature from the animal industry attached to it, be it a bird, a bee, a frog, or a butterfly. Yes, even the oft-maligned China-made paperweight industry has generated definite absolutes regarding its output.
And, if it were Chinese, where is the rest of the production run? The owner of the shop said she bought it at a flea market in Wisconsin, and the item has been in her shop for about a year, just waiting for the right buyer.