Vase 1882 - 1892

This iridescent glass vase was made at the Chelsea Keramic Art Works, a pottery active in Massachusetts during the late 19th century. The glass is thin and delicate, blown into this distinctive bulbous form. What really catches the eye is the surface. The makers have achieved this shimmering, metallic effect by spraying the hot glass with metallic salts. This technique was popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and other art glass producers. The vase’s surface is almost painterly, a blend of pinks, reds, golds, and purples. It is this transformation of ordinary materials and processes that elevates the vessel. This was a period of intense creative experimentation with glass and ceramics, aiming to bring art and industry together, and to offer affordable luxuries for a growing middle class. Decoration was no longer seen as separate from the making, but integral to it. By understanding the material and the making, we can see how this vase represents a key moment in the history of design.