Quart Bottle 1865 - 1870

These two glass bottles, known as Quart Bottles, were made by A. R. Samuels, though the exact date remains unknown. These utilitarian objects speak volumes about the historical context of American industry and labor. The bottles’ designs—one featuring a building inscribed with ‘S. HUTFFASEY’—evoke an era of burgeoning commercialism, and we might consider how the labor that produced these bottles intersected with issues of class and race. Were they made by skilled artisans or by laborers working in factories, and what were their working conditions? How did the burgeoning market for bottled goods affect local economies and trade networks? These bottles also invite us to reflect on the environmental impact of mass production and consumption. They stand as artifacts of a time when the consequences of industrial growth were less understood, prompting us to consider our relationship with consumerism.