Design for Glass and Silver Water Pitcher, with a Cover 1820 - 1865

This is a design for a glass and silver water pitcher with a cover, created by George Richards Elkington. Note the elegant, elongated form of the pitcher, which rises from a subtle base to meet a cylindrical silver top. This emphasis on verticality gives the design a sense of refined simplicity. The handle, a sinuous flourish of metal, provides a striking contrast to the pitcher's otherwise smooth, geometric form. The interplay between the clear glass and the opaque silver is significant. Elkington uses these materials not just for their practical qualities but also for their aesthetic contrast. This highlights the tension between transparency and solidity, smoothness and texture. We can think of this design as a study in contrasts. The vertical versus the curve, the clear versus the opaque, all carefully balanced to create a harmonious whole. Consider how these formal elements combine to elevate a common object to a statement of elegance and functional design. The piece demonstrates how careful consideration of form and material can transform everyday objects into works of art.