Creamer

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of mid-19th-century American tableware with this charming creamer from the New England Glass Company crafted between 1855 and 1865. Standing at just 6 5/16 inches (16 cm) tall, pressed glass vessel exemplifies the ingenuity of New England's glassmakers during the height of the Industrial Revolution. housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum Art, it was generously gifted by Mrs. Emilythrop Miles in 194. Pressed glass, the creamer's medium, revolutionized American home decor by allowing mass production of intricate designs once reserved for expensive hand-cut crystal. Using metal molds and hydraulic presses, factories like the New England Glass Company—based in Cambridge, Massachusetts—created affordable yet sophisticated pieces with detailed patterns, mimicking luxury imports from Europe. This technique democratized beauty, bringing refined aesthetics to middle-class dining tables across the young nation. As a quintessential Victorian table accessory, the creamer reflects America's growing consumer culture and pride in domestic manufacturing. Its simple, functional form belies the era's fascination with ornate glassware, making it a delightful snapshot of everyday elegance in 19th-century homes.

About the Artist

New England Glass Company · 1818–1888

**The New England Glass Company: Pioneers of American Flint Glass** The New England Glass Company was established on February 16, 1818, in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, by a quartet of prominent local businessmen: Amos Binney, Edmund Munroe, Daniel Hastings, and Deming Jarves. Jarves, drawing on his dry goods background and talent for recruiting Europe's finest cutters, served as operational man...