Decanter 1820 - 1840

Editor: Here we have a decanter, crafted sometime between 1820 and 1840, likely by the New England Glass Company. It’s fascinating how the light plays across the glass surface! What aspects of its materiality stand out to you? Curator: For me, the most compelling aspect lies in understanding the labor that shaped this object. The blown glass reveals a mastery of technique, demanding both skill and physical exertion. Consider the social context: Who were the glassblowers? Were they skilled artisans or laborers driven by industrial demand? This object embodies the transformation of raw materials through human effort. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered! I was mostly drawn to the decorative swirls near the base. What do those elements suggest to you? Curator: The molded decorations, repeated in near-identical fashion around the circumference, demonstrate that its makers were employing mold-blowing techniques to increase output. How does mass production influence ideas around value, consumption, and design in 19th century domestic life? Was this a luxury object for the wealthy, or more broadly accessible? Editor: So you're suggesting that the very process of making this decanter reveals shifts in society's values around craft and industry? Curator: Precisely. Every curve, every bubble frozen in the glass tells a story about material culture and the industrializing world that shaped it. These objects are often overlooked, and underappreciated, as simple tools of luxury or status. But a closer look, materially speaking, makes visible the cultural work these objects performed and the social conditions they sustained. Editor: I will definitely look at material objects differently from now on. Thanks for pointing out the nuances! Curator: It's a pleasure to think together. Shifting our gaze to labor and the everyday reminds us to continually challenge and re-evaluate assumptions around value and worth.