Vase
Medium
Pressed glass
Dimensions
H. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
Classification
Vase
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles, 1946
Accession Number
46.140.303
Art Historical Context
Welcome to The American Wing, where this elegant pressed glass vase from the Boston Sandwich Glass Company (1835–45) captures the ingenuity of early American industry. Standing at 11 inches tall, this piece exemplifies the company's mastery of pressed glass—a revolutionary technique that used metal molds to create detailed patterns quickly and affordably, mimicking the luxury of hand-cut crystal. Founded in 1825 in Sandwich, Massachusetts, the Boston & Glass Company was a leader in New England's glassmaking boom during the Industrial Revolution. Pressed glass democratized decorative home good...
About the Artist
Boston & Sandwich Glass Company · 1825–1888
The Boston & Sandwich Glass Company, a pioneering force in American glassmaking, was established in 1825 in Sandwich, Massachusetts, by visionary entrepreneur Deming Jarves, who had honed his expertise as an agent for the New England Glass Company in Cambridge. Jarves built the factory on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal, incorporating it formally the following year with Boston investors. Drawing o...