Bottle 1867 - 1875

This bottle was made by Whitney Brothers Glass Works sometime between 1838 and 1920. The bottle takes the shape of a standing figure, and is a brown color that obscures details of the person represented. The figure’s dress is detailed with ridged clothing. The person appears to have their arms crossed, perhaps in a gesture of defiance. On the bottle, there's an inscription that reads, "H. Clay Celebrated." This likely refers to Henry Clay, a prominent politician and orator in the 19th century United States. Clay was a slave owner, a fact often elided in celebratory representations of historical figures. The choice to commemorate Clay on a bottle raises questions about how historical narratives are constructed and consumed. Whose stories are amplified, and whose are silenced? In this way, the bottle stands as an artifact that reflects both admiration and a more complex and critical engagement with the past.