Pitcher 1835 - 1865

The Redwood Glass Company crafted this pitcher, date unknown, from non-lead blown glass. During the mid-19th century, glass production in the United States mirrored the country’s complex social tapestry. While industries grew, they were deeply entwined with the exploitation of labor, often involving immigrants and children in hazardous conditions. The delicate pink rim and green body of the pitcher, with its applied decorations, speak to an aesthetic aspiration, but also to the socio-economic realities of the time. The glassblower’s craft reflects a tension between artistry and the demands of industrial production. Consider the hands that shaped this pitcher and the lives of those who might have used it. This object becomes a lens through which we can examine questions of labor, class, and consumption in a rapidly changing America. It asks us to consider how everyday objects carry stories of both beauty and social struggle.