Flask 1840 - 1850

Editor: Here we have a glass "Flask" made by the Kentucky Glass Works, sometime between 1840 and 1850. The aquamarine color gives it such a cool, almost ethereal feel, but it also seems so distinctly…American, with what appears to be a rather proud eagle design. What stands out to you about it? Curator: It does have that beautiful aqua hue that whispers of old glassblowing secrets! I'm drawn to its functionality married with a touch of patriotic flair, which really echoes a burgeoning American identity at that time. Picture the everyday person, possibly on the move, carrying this. The design serves as a quiet statement. It hints at journeys, both literal and symbolic. Doesn't it feel like a bit of sturdy optimism, packaged in glass? Editor: Definitely, and you can also see the mark of the maker. I guess you forget, sometimes, how much work goes into glass making. Do you think they intended it to be a patriotic statement, or just…decoration? Curator: Oh, a delicious question! Was it consciously patriotic or casually decorative? Perhaps both. I see the eagle as a shared symbol, instantly recognizable. Its very presence connects the owner to something larger than themselves. In those years, I suspect it resonated deeply, reminding the carrier, even in the simplest of moments, of their belonging. Editor: It’s fascinating how such a simple object can contain so many layers of meaning. I see it a bit differently now, as almost a hopeful charm, traveling with someone. Curator: Exactly! A pocket-sized piece of hope and national pride. The magic is in seeing beyond the obvious, right? It makes history a little more personal.