Creamer 1885 - 1888

This Creamer was created around 1867-1890 by the Richards and Hartley Flint Glass Company. Its surface is covered in what is known as the hobnail pattern. These raised glass nodes, catching and refracting light, are not merely decorative. They recall ancient motifs of fertility and abundance. Think of the cluster of grapes in a Bacchic scene, or the pomegranate, bursting with seeds, symbols of prosperity and regeneration found across myriad cultures. In this iteration, these symbols become abstracted, domesticated. Yet, the deep-seated human connection to these ideas remains. The hobnail pattern evokes a sense of plenty, a visual echo of nature's bounty, unconsciously resonating with our primal desires for nourishment and well-being. This simple Creamer, therefore, transcends its functional purpose, engaging us on a deeper, more instinctual level.