Cordial glass c. 1870

This cordial glass is an anonymous work likely made for a wealthy individual to privately store and serve liquor. The complete set is housed in an elaborate wooden box with brass fittings. It's not hard to imagine that alcohol consumption in the past was also tied to cultural status, gender, and class. The set could represent a man's control over the liquor he provided, with him doling out drinks to male friends or displaying the set as a sign of social capital. Alternately, a woman may have used a locked set like this to exert some limited control over her own drinking. The elaborate box, the delicate glassware, and the act of sharing a cordial together could all have represented a carefully constructed performance of societal roles. The set serves as a reminder of how personal choices are often intertwined with social expectations.