Hobnail Pitcher 1887 - 1896

This hobnail pitcher was made by Hobbs, Brockunier and Company, between 1863 and 1891. During the Victorian Era, industrialization met the rise of the middle class, fueling a demand for decorative, yet functional glassware. This pitcher, with its elaborate pattern, offered a touch of luxury to the aspiring household. The "hobnail" design, achieved through pressing molten glass into a mold, mimics hand-cut glass, democratizing access to intricate aesthetics. Mass production techniques allowed companies to create elaborate designs quickly and cheaply, so that the burgeoning middle classes could participate in conspicuous consumption, a marker of social identity. Consider the hands that operated the machinery, often immigrant laborers working long hours in challenging conditions to produce items like this, symbols of upward mobility. The pitcher then, is more than an object; it's a vessel of stories about class, labor, and the changing landscape of American society.