Sleeve Button
ca. 1876
Medium
Porcelain
Dimensions
13/16 x 1 1/8 in. (2.1 x 2.9 cm)
Classification
Sleeve button
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1986
Accession Number
1986.111.6
Tags
About this artwork
This Sleeve Button by Union Porcelain Works dating to ca. 1876 exemplifies the artistic traditions of American, Mid-Atlantic. Created in porcelain, the work demonstrates technical mastery of materials and processes characteristic of American, Mid-Atlantic artisans. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's The American Wing, this piece contributes to our understanding of historical artistic production. The work's 13/16 x 1 1/8 in. (2.1 x 2.9 cm) and material qualities reflect the aesthetic val...
About the Artist
Union Porcelain Works · 1863–1922
Union Porcelain Works, established in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, in 1863, marked America's breakthrough in hard-paste porcelain production. Architect and builder Thomas Carll Smith (1815–1901) acquired the struggling factory from earlier owners like William Boch & Brothers after it faltered during the Civil War. In 1863, Smith traveled to Europe, studying porcelain techniques at the Manufactu...