Figured flask

Art Historical Context

This figured flask, created by Keene Glass Works between 1830 and 1840, offers a charming glimpse into early American glass production. Standing just 6½ inches tall, the piece was made using the blown-molded technique, in which molten glass was inflated inside a carved mold to capture detailed patterns. The resulting vessel carries lively images of horses and carts, reflecting everyday scenes familiar to Americans of the period. Blown-molded glass allowed workshops like Keene to produce decorative flasks efficiently and affordably, turning functional containers for liquids into small works of art. These portable objects often traveled in pockets or saddlebags, their molded designs serving as miniature advertisements of both craftsmanship and contemporary life. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing, the flask speaks to the growing spirit of American industry and ingenuity in the decades before the Civil War. Its modest scale and spirited motifs continue to delight visitors, illustrating how everyday objects can preserve the energy and optimism of a young nation.