No. 98
Medium
glasswares
Classification
glasswares
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of Dale and Doug Anderson, Anonymous Donor, Arthur Liu, and Prairie Pictures, Inc. and from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund
Accession Number
2009-18-26
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**No. 98** by Ludwig Lobmeyr1829–1917), crafted in 1865, the pinnacle of 19th-century Austrian glass. Lobmeyr, a master artisan from Vienna, helmed the renowned J. & L. Lobmeyr firm, celebrated for its exquisite crystal glassware supplied to European royalty and aristocracy. This piece, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, reflects the era's technical virtuosity, where Bohemian-influenced techniques produced thin, brilliantly clear glass ideal for tableware and decorative objects. Created during the Austro-Hungarian Empire's cultural zenith, *No. 98*—likely a catalog-designated form of luxury glassware—highlights the fusion of functionality and opulence. Austrian glassmakers like Lobmeyr advanced cutting, engraving, and polishing methods, achieving unprecedented transparency and durability. Its presence in an American collection underscores transatlantic exchanges of craftsmanship, acquired through generous donors and now part of ongoing research. Though details are still emerging, *No. 98* invites visitors to appreciate the delicate artistry of glass as both everyday elegance and imperial splendor, bridging Old World tradition with modern museum appreciation. (178 words)