Creamer 1876 - 1883

This is a Creamer, made by Ott and Brewer sometime between 1871 and 1893. It’s porcelain, with a delicate white glaze and gilded decoration. Look closely, and you’ll see the body is molded with a subtle, repeating pattern. This adds a tactile dimension to the piece, an invitation to hold and use it. The botanical motifs, rendered in gold, reflect the Aesthetic Movement's love of nature. But the real story here is the factory production. Ott and Brewer were among the first in America to master the techniques of porcelain production. The company relied on a division of labor, with some workers focused on molding, others on glazing, others on decoration. While the gilding would have been done by skilled artisans, the mold-making and firing processes required precise technical control. The Creamer reflects the ambition of American manufacturers to compete with European porcelain, and the changing nature of work in the late 19th century. It's a reminder that even the most beautiful objects are born of specific processes, in a particular social context.