Punch Glass
ca. 1883–88
Medium
Blown glass
Dimensions
H. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm); Diam. 2 15/16 in. (7.5 cm)
Classification
Punch glass
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles, 1946
Accession Number
46.140.534
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Punch Glass**, crafted by the New England Glass Company around 1883–88, exemplifies the refined artistry of late 19th-century Americanmaking. Standing just 3¾ inches tall with a 2⅞-inch diameter, this blown glass tumbler was designed for serving punch—a popular beverage at Gilded Age social gatherings, from elegant dinners to festive parties. Produced by one of America's leading glass factories, founded in 1818 in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, it reflects the era's blend of industrial efficiency and handcrafted beauty. The blown glass technique, involving molten glass gathere...
About the Artist
New England Glass Company · 1818–1888
**The New England Glass Company: Pioneers of American Flint Glass** The New England Glass Company was established on February 16, 1818, in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, by a quartet of prominent local businessmen: Amos Binney, Edmund Munroe, Daniel Hastings, and Deming Jarves. Jarves, drawing on his dry goods background and talent for recruiting Europe's finest cutters, served as operational man...