Sauce Dish 1870 - 1890

Curator: Shall we discuss this elegant sauce dish by Challinor, Taylor and Company, dating from between 1870 and 1890? Editor: It's charming! Immediately I notice its regal purple hues, a color historically linked to power and nobility, isn't it? It has a somewhat precious, almost nostalgic quality. Curator: Absolutely. And the color isn’t just a surface treatment. This piece demonstrates the maker’s skill with glass coloration during the Victorian period. Glass production had industrialized to a great extent at that point, affecting not only efficiency but also the kinds of glass recipes and colors available to studios. Editor: Speaking of process, I wonder how this iridescent effect was achieved? Some form of surface treatment or vapor deposition perhaps? It challenges conventional ideas of functionality as these kinds of items quickly turn to status symbols within social contexts of luxury. Curator: Exactly. I believe the iridescence comes from the addition of metallic salts during the manufacturing. But beyond mere chemistry, consider the social symbolism, especially during the Victorian era. Having such objects showcased refinement and taste, which often became symbols of social advancement. What is the sauce that is considered of merit to belong in such a glass? Editor: The spiraling design of the foot, and then this crenellated edge on the dish –it all communicates the importance of presentation and appearance within social strata. Curator: True, form always embodies cultural memory. This dish echoes classical shapes in new industrial ways, suggesting aspiration toward both antiquity and novelty. Editor: And, looking closely, I see faint patterns molded in, offering not just ornamentation but enhanced tactile pleasure, and reflecting light in delightful ways. A synthesis of senses, material innovation and cultural symbolism, encapsulated in a relatively small object. Curator: Agreed, it’s a confluence of manufacturing innovations and deeply embedded desires. I see not merely a sauce dish, but a potent distillation of a time and the cultural aspirations of that era. Editor: Indeed, it prompts contemplation of how our tastes and desires are also historically produced.