Pocket flask
Unknown Artist
1800–1860
Medium
Blown pattern-molded glass
Dimensions
H. 6 1/8 in. (15.6 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
1980.502.64
Art Historical Context
This charming pocket flask, crafted by an unknown American artist between 1800 and 1860, exemplifies the everyday elegance of early 19th-century American glassmaking. Standing just 6 1/8 inches (15.6 cm) tall, its compact size made it perfect for personal use—tucked into a gentleman's coat pocket for travel, social gatherings, or discreet imbibing during an era when alcohol was a staple of American life, long before widespread temperance movements took hold. Made of blown pattern-molded glass, the flask showcases a technique popular in American factories like those in New England and the Midw...