Sugar Bowl

Art Historical Context

This delicate sugar bowl, crafted by Mount Washington Glass Company around 1887, exemplifies finesse of American blown glass in the late 19th century. just 3 inches high and 3 9/16 inches in diameter, petite scale made it ideal for Victorian-era tea services, where such pieces added elegance to everyday domestic rituals. Produced in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the company was a pioneer in affordable yet artistic glassware, blending industrial precision with handmade charm. The blown glass technique—shaping molten glass by blowing air through a tube—allowed for fluid forms and subtle color gradients, hallmarks of Mount Washington's innovative output during the Gilded Age. This period saw American manufacturers rivaling European imports, democratizing luxury for the growing middle class. Though modest in size, the bowl reflects the era's fascination with decorative tableware, often featuring vibrant hues from chemical reactions in the glass. Now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this piece entered the collection as a gift from Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles in 1946. It stands as a testament to the artistry of American decorative objects, inviting us to appreciate the quiet beauty in objects once central to social life.