Bowl before 1830

This glass bowl was made by the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company. Notice the large cross at its center, an ancient symbol of intersecting lines that evokes myriad associations. In the Christian tradition, it signifies sacrifice and redemption, and dates back to ancient symbols of life and nature, where it represents the four cardinal directions, the intersection of the divine and the earthly. Think of the solar cross in ancient cultures, a symbol of the sun's path, or the Celtic cross, which integrates the cross with a circle, symbolizing eternity. The cross transcends mere geometry, touching deep chords in the human psyche, signifying orientation in the world, a balance of forces, and spiritual unity. Here, rendered in cut glass, it marries the sacred with the domestic, reminding us of the powerful way in which symbols evolve, adapt, and find new life across time and cultures.