Flask 1860 - 1866

This glass flask was produced by the New London Glass Works between 1860 and 1866. The bottle was made using a mold-blowing process, with molten glass inflated into a pre-carved mold. You can see an American eagle, a wreath, and the words "For Our Country" and "Liberty" on the surface of the glass. The color is due to impurities in the sand used to make the glass, and it is very common in utilitarian glassware from this period. The flask's design speaks to the complex relationship between production and national identity. Its decoration blends patriotic imagery with everyday functionality. It was made for mass consumption, yet it also served as a carrier of cultural values, showing a time when industrial processes were intertwined with expressions of national pride. It challenges our ideas about factory-made objects. It shows that they can also be cultural artifacts.