Covered Sugar Bowl 1820 - 1830

This Covered Sugar Bowl was created by the New England Glass Company sometime in the 19th century. This object encapsulates many of the social tensions within the history of American industry. The glassworks was established in 1818, during a period of rapid industrial growth. New England Glass was one of the earliest large-scale manufacturers of pressed glass. It mechanized the glassmaking process to meet an expanding market for domestic goods, such as this sugar bowl. Note the high level of detail achieved through pressing, a technique which allowed factories to produce decorative glassware at affordable prices. Although this object democratized access to luxury items, we need to remember that the industrial revolution relied on an often exploited labor force. Company records, census data, and worker biographies can reveal the complex social dynamics involved in the making of such objects. In short, the glass sugar bowl, then, is both beautiful and a testament to a complex industrial past.