Vase 1881 - 1888

This pink glass vase was produced in the United States by the New England Glass Company, sometime in the second half of the 19th century. It represents a fascinating chapter in American industrial history. During this period, America saw rapid industrialization, and glassmaking was no exception. Companies like New England Glass were at the forefront, adopting new technologies and mass-production techniques. But these factories were not just places of innovation, they were also social spaces, shaping the lives of workers and the communities they lived in. The vase is also interesting for its aesthetic qualities. The delicate pink hue and floral shape reflect the Victorian era's fascination with nature and romance. But beyond that, it speaks to the growing consumer culture of the time, when decorative objects like this became increasingly accessible to the middle class. To truly understand this vase, we might look into company records, worker biographies, and even popular magazines of the time. What we discover is that even an object as simple as a glass vase can tell us a great deal about society.