Creamer
ca. 1884–87
Medium
Blown glass
Dimensions
H. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm)
Classification
Cream pot
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles, 1946
Accession Number
46.140.524
Art Historical Context
This delicate creamer, crafted by the Mount Washington Glass Company around 1884–87, exemplifies the artistry of late 19th-century American glassmaking. Standing just 4 5/8 inches tall, it was fashioned from blown glass—a technique where molten glass is on a blowpipe and shaped by skilled inflation and tooling. This method allowed for the fluid, elegant forms prized in Victorian-era tableware, making pieces like this both functional and decorative for serving cream in affluent households. Mount Washington Glass Company, based in New England, was a leading innovator during America's Gilded Age...