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Manufacturer Bryce Brothers (American (Pittsburgh, PA; Hammondsville, PA), 1882 - 1891)

Datec. 1880

MediumNon-flint clear pressed glass

Dimensions2 1/4 x 6 x 8 in. (5.7 x 15.2 x 20.3 cm) (a. base) Other: 1.8 x 7 x 5 cm (11/16 x 2 3/4 x 1 15/16 in.) (b. lid)

ClassificationsDecorative Arts, Glass

Credit LineGift of Quester Chapter Siouan #36 in memory of past member Charlotte Morris. In the Iowa Quester Glass Collection, Brunnier Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object numberUM2010.70ab

Status

On view

Collections

CultureAmerican

Label TextPatriotic early American pressed glass emerged in the mid-19th century as advances in industrial glassmaking made decorative household objects more affordable and widely available. Manufacturers produced tumblers, plates, bowls, and more with national symbols such as eagles, stars, shields, flags, scenes, bullets, and portraits of figures like George Washington. These objects were often associated with major national moments, including the Centennial of 1876, presidential elections, and anniversaries of the Revolution. Pressed glass allowed intricate designs to be replicated quickly, enabling ordinary Americans to incorporate expressions of patriotism into everyday life and domestic spaces. Beyond their decorative appeal, patriotic pressed glass items serve as powerful tools of cultural identity and historical memory. They reinforced shared values of liberty, unity, and civic pride at a time when the nation was expanding and redefining itself after the Civil War. Today, early American patriotic pressed glass is valued by collectors and historians alike for its craftsmanship, symbolism, and insight into how Americans expressed loyalty and identity through material culture.

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