Sugar bowl 1810 - 1830

Curator: This is a glass sugar bowl made sometime between 1810 and 1830, crafted by Benjamin Bakewell & Co. What strikes you about it? Editor: I’m drawn to its delicate floral engravings and its simple, yet elegant shape. It looks so fragile. What can you tell me about its social context? Curator: This bowl speaks volumes about the burgeoning American glass industry and its role in defining social status. Benjamin Bakewell's factory in Pittsburgh was instrumental in producing luxury goods that signaled wealth and taste. Having something like this on display demonstrated access to a market beyond the necessities. Did anyone have sugar in that era without status? Editor: It also appears like they did not want the owner to shout it out. The pattern and etching does not stand out! It’s much more subtle. Does the imagery connect to these ideas? Curator: Absolutely. The engraved floral motifs often mirrored popular patterns in textiles and ceramics of the period, creating a sense of harmony and refinement within the domestic space. Think about how women’s magazines were starting to dictate style… Editor: Oh, so it was part of curating an entire "look," just like today? Curator: Precisely! And the clear glass itself… consider the material itself. It signified purity and sophistication and created transparency of class. What sort of a moral code does that dictate, for owners and observers? Editor: So, this isn't just a pretty bowl; it reflects social aspirations of the era? That changes my perspective on this piece. It’s much more loaded with meaning than I initially thought. Curator: Indeed. Decorative arts offer such tangible links to the daily lives and values of past societies, don't they? It makes you appreciate all those silent stories behind the pretty stuff.