Pocket flask
Unknown Artist
1800–1860
Medium
Blown pattern-molded glass
Dimensions
H. 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm)
Classification
Pocket flask
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Henry G. Schiff, 1980
Accession Number
1980.502.49
Art Historical Context
This charming pocket flask, crafted in America between 1800 and 1860, exemplifies the everyday artistry of early 19th-century glassmaking. Standing just 5 3/8 inches tall, its compact size made it perfect for personal portability—tucked into a gentleman's coat pocket for a discreet sip of spirits during travel, work, or social gatherings. Housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it reflects the ingenuity of American craftsmen during a period of rapid industrialization and westward expansion. The flask's medium, blown pattern-molded glass, highlights a key technique of th...