Covered butter dish

Art Historical Context

This elegant covered butter dish, crafted by the British firm Challinor, Taylor Company between 1870 and 1890, exemplifies the artistry of late 19th-century pressed glass. Made from vibrant purple marble glass—a technique that mimicked the luxurious veining of natural stone—this American-made tableware object measures 7⅝ inches high and 7⅛ inches in diameter, perfectly scaled for Victorian dining tables. The firm's innovative molding process allowed for intricate, affordable designs that brought opulence to everyday households. Pressed glass boomed during this era as industrialization made high-style glassware accessible beyond elite crystal. The purple hue, achieved through metallic oxides, added a touch of whimsy and elegance, reflecting the era's fascination with colorful, textured imitations of precious materials. Displayed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it highlights how decorative arts democratized beauty in post-Civil War America. A generous gift from Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles in 1946, this dish invites us to appreciate the fusion of utility and ornament in everyday life, a hallmark of Gilded Age refinement.

About the Artist

Challinor, Taylor and Company · 1866–1891

Challinor, Taylor and Company was an American pressed glass manufacturer founded in 1866 and based in Tarentum, Pennsylvania, a community along the Allegheny River that was home to several of the nineteenth century's most innovative glassmakers. The firm operated until 1891, when it was absorbed into the United States Glass Company as Factory C — part of the great industrial consolidation that res...