Tumbler

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum Art, this delicate *Tumbler* from Hobbs, Brockunier Company exemplifies the artistry of late 19th American glassmaking. Produced after 1886, the piece stands just 4 3/4 inches tall and showcases pressed cranberry glass with a stunning opalescent finish. The vibrant red hue of cranberry glass, achieved through gold impurities, shifts mesmerizingly under light, revealing iridescent blues and greens—a hallmark of Victorian-era innovation that brought luxury to everyday objects. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company, based in West Virginia, were pioneers in pressed glass techniques, which used molds to create intricate patterns affordably for middle-class homes. This method democratized beauty, transforming simple tumblers into functional decor. The opalescent overlay adds a ethereal glow, evoking the era's fascination with exotic colors inspired by imported Bohemian glass. A generous gift from Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles in 1946, this tumbler highlights America's industrial creativity during the Gilded Age, blending utility with elegance. Visitors will appreciate how such pieces bridged craftsmanship and mass production, illuminating the cultural vibrancy of post-Civil War America.

About the Artist

Hobbs, Brockunier and Company · 1863–1891

**J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company**, a pioneering American glass manufacturer, traces its origins to 1845 when John L. Hobbs and James B. Barnes, both former supervisory employees at the prestigious New England Glass Company in Massachusetts, leased the idle South Wheeling Glass Works in what is now Wheeling, West Virginia. After several reorganizations amid partner changes—including the addit...