Celery Vase 1830 - 1870

Curator: The "Celery Vase," made by the New England Glass Company, dating from 1830 to 1870. It’s on display here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Oh, that's lovely! There's an undeniable sense of elegance in the way the light plays on its surface. The symmetrical composition creates a poised yet accessible aesthetic. Curator: Indeed. Celery vases were quite the rage during the 19th century, emblems of status in middle-class homes. They highlight how shifting agricultural practices and trade allowed wider access to previously exotic foods. Owning such pieces was not just about aesthetic pleasure; it signaled participation in a specific aspirational lifestyle and displays the new world market of goods. Editor: I'm particularly drawn to how the refractive index of the glass creates these repeating vertical lines and scalloped curves. It draws the eye upward in a very satisfying manner. I wonder about the techniques they used to achieve this crystal clarity, especially the molds? Curator: The glassblowing, the cutting, and the polishing! So many skilled artisans would have been involved. There's even possibly the implementation of newly available machine technology that has rendered decorative designs, or are they products of manual cutting techniques performed repetitively by the anonymous workers of the Company. Understanding who made this gives real context to its beauty. Editor: It is beautifully made. Considering this period and production—a factory environment that perhaps divided the glassmaking into these different aspects is relevant. In a curious way, it has produced a pure style: functional but simultaneously refined. Curator: Exactly! When we study objects such as this Celery Vase, we reveal a much broader scope of design and labor than it appears at first glance. It is far from just a vase! Editor: Yes, what initially captivates as light and shape slowly unfolds to this nuanced view. Curator: Agreed, there's always more to discover in an artwork that seems as simple as this, and these decorative art pieces can often be too easily disregarded.