Ale glass
Unknown Artist
mid-18th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Height: 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)
Classification
Glass
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Frederick W. Hunter, 1913
Accession Number
13.179.110
Art Historical Context
This delicate ale glass, crafted in Britain during the mid-18th, offers a glimpse into the everyday elegance of Georgian social life. Standing just 4 3/4 inches (12.1 cm) tall, it was designed for sipping ale—a staple beverage enjoyed in taverns, homes, and public houses across England. Though the artist remains unknown, such pieces exemplify the skilled glassblowing techniques of the period, where artisans shaped molten glass into practical yet refined forms using molds and free-blowing methods. In the 1700s, Britain's growing prosperity fueled a boom in domestic glass production, moving awa...