Dish

Art Historical Context

This delicate dish, crafted from lacy pressed glass around 0–50, exemplifies ingenuity of early American glass. Measuring just 59/16 inches (.1 cm) in, its intricate, lace-like patterns—achieved through a pressing technique—created an affordable yet elegant alternative to expensive cut glass. Popular in middle-class homes, these pieces brought refined beauty to everyday tabletops, reflecting the era's growing industrial prowess. Produced during a boom in American manufacturing, lacy pressed glass emerged from New England factories, where semi-automated presses allowed for mass production of finely detailed wares. This dish, housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, highlights how 19th-century innovators democratized luxury, blending functionality with ornamental charm. Though the artist remains unknown, its survival as a gift from Mrs. F. N. Crosby in 1948 underscores its enduring cultural value as a snapshot of American domestic life. Visitors will appreciate its subtle sparkle, a testament to hands-on artistry in an age of mechanization.