Bowl 1870 - 1890

This glass bowl was made by Adams and Company. Notice how the bowl's surface is covered in small, raised spheres. This "hobnail" pattern is deceptively simple. In the realm of visual memory, it echoes the skin of animals, or the organic structure of plants. It suggests the accumulation and abundance of nature. Consider how this connects to similar patterns in other forms of decorative art across cultures. The same desire to mimic texture appears in ornamental studs on ancient shields, or the beaded garments of indigenous tribes. It is as if the craftsman taps into a primal urge to replicate the world around us. These patterns resurface, transformed and adapted, yet still linked by a shared, underlying impulse. It reminds us that human expression is a cyclical process. Themes, motifs, and gestures reappear, each time reshaped by history and context, yet still echoing the past.