Glass Honey Dish c. 1936

This “Glass Honey Dish” was made by John N. Vogel, who died in 1995. It depicts a design for an elegant tableware item, probably intended for manufacture. The drawing details the way light would have played across the dish’s surface, catching the molded honeycomb pattern. It gives the whole object a delightful shimmer. Glass like this would have been made by forcing molten material into a mold. This allowed for mass production – a complex but rapid way of making, especially compared to blowing glass by hand. It is important to remember that this kind of glassware was only possible because of industrialization. It speaks to a world of factories and commerce, and the availability of luxury goods to a growing consumer class. Consider the labor required to make not just this object, but all the products necessary for its existence, from the mining of raw materials to the marketing of the finished piece. Ultimately, the meaning of this honey dish lies not just in its pleasing form, but in the historical and social context of its creation, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and industry.