Pickle Dish 1850 - 1870

This glass pickle dish was produced by Bakewell, Pears and Company, sometime between 1836 and 1882. While seemingly a simple household object, it reflects the complex social rituals of the Victorian era. The rise of industrialization allowed for mass production and distribution of goods like this, making them accessible to a growing middle class. Serving dishes like this one became important markers of social status and domestic refinement. Displaying pickles, a once exotic and expensive delicacy, signaled a family’s prosperity and good taste. Consider the labor involved in producing the glass, from the factory workers to the families who consumed from it, this pickle dish embodies a network of social relations and economic exchange. It's a reminder of how everyday objects can reveal the values and hierarchies of their time.