Ewer

Object NameEwer

Manufacturer Mt. Washington Glass Works (American (Boston, MA; New Bedford, MA), 1837 - 1894)

Datec. 1880

OriginU.S.A.? England?

MediumGlass, blown Satin glass

Dimensions6 7/8 × 4 1/2 × 2 11/16 in. (17.5 × 11.4 × 6.8 cm)

ClassificationsDecorative Arts, Glass

Credit LineGift of Ann and Henry Brunnier. In the Ann and Henry Brunnier Collection, Brunnier Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object number3.8.19

Status

On view

Collections

Decorative Arts

CultureAmerican

Label TextVictorian air trap glass refers to a distinctive style of decorative glass produced primarily in the mid- to late 19th century, prized for its intricate patterns created by deliberately trapping air bubbles within the glass. Made using complex techniques such as casing layers of molten glass around bubbles of air, these objects—often vases, bowls, paperweights, and scent bottles—captured the Victorian fascination with novelty, craftsmanship, and scientific curiosity. The suspended bubbles created optical effects that enhanced light and depth, turning each piece into a visual spectacle and showcasing the technical skill of the glassmaker. Air trap glass appealed strongly to Victorian tastes for ornamentation and display, and it was often featured prominently in parlors and cabinets alongside other decorative curiosities. Produced by Mt. Washington Glass Works established by Deming Jarves in 1837, for his son George D. Jarves at South Boston, Massachusetts. It became Jarves and Cormerias in 1850 and was purchased by William L. Libbey in 1866. Libbey moved the business to New Bedford in 1869, only to sell it in 1870. Mt. Washington Glass Company resumed use of its original name in 1871, and continued until 1894, when it was purchased by Pairpoint Manufacturing Company. Today, Victorian air trap glass is valued by collectors for its beauty, innovation, complexity, and embodiment of 19th-century aesthetics, serving as a reminder of an era that celebrated innovation, craftsmanship, and the interplay between art and science.

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