Honey Dish
Unknown Artist
1850–60
Medium
Pressed glass, diamond thumbprint
Dimensions
Diam. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Classification
Honey Dish
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles, 1946
Accession Number
46.140.82
Art Historical Context
This delicate honey dish, crafted in pressed glass between 1850 and 1860, exemplifies the ingenuity of mid-19th-century American glassmaking. Measuring just 3½ inches in diameter, its compact form was designed for practical tabletop use, holding a small portion of honey while adding a touch of elegance to everyday meals. The "diamond thumbprint" pattern—characterized by raised, jewel-like motifs resembling fingerprints pressed into the glass—creates a sparkling, textured surface that mimics the luxury of hand-cut crystal but at a fraction of the cost. Pressed glass emerged during America's In...