Goblet 1870 - 1890

This goblet was made between 1866 and 1891 by Challinor, Taylor and Company, using pressed glass. This wasn't glassblowing, but an industrial process. Molten glass would have been injected into a mold, and then forced into every corner by a machine press. Note the vertical ribs and the lozenge pattern at the base of the bowl, which were easily achieved this way. It may seem paradoxical to think of glass, a hot fluid substance, being treated so rigidly, but this was the logic of Victorian industry. Also consider the agate-like effect of the glass itself. This was meant to give an impression of luxury, without the expense of something like porcelain. It's a fascinating example of how a new manufacturing technique could democratize design, bringing attractive objects to a mass market. This goblet is not exactly high art, but it speaks volumes about industrial ingenuity, consumerism, and class aspirations in the 19th century.