Wine Glass 1880 - 1888

This wine glass was made in the United States by the New England Glass Company, sometime in the 19th century. It’s made of non-lead glass, which is a mix of silica, soda, and lime heated to high temperatures. The dark color was achieved by adding certain metallic oxides to the molten glass. To shape the glass, a glassblower would have used a blowpipe to inflate a gather of molten glass. Further shaping could be achieved by swinging, tooling, or pressing the glass into a mold. The various components of the glass were likely made by different artisans and assembled together. The New England Glass Company was known for its innovative techniques and mass production. The glass industry in the 19th century was highly competitive, with companies striving to produce affordable glassware for a growing middle class. Paying attention to materials and processes helps us understand the cultural and economic context in which the glass was made, and that fine glass was not always so far removed from labor and production.