Bottle

Art Historical Context

This elegant bottle, crafted from non-lead glass with vibrant enamel decoration between 1700 and 1800, exemplifies early American glassmaking ingenuity. Standing at just 7¼ inches tall, its slender form and floral motifs—likely rendered in colorful enamels fired onto the surface—transform a utilitarian object into a decorative treasure. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it was generously gifted by Frederick W. Hunter in 1913. Non-lead glass was a hallmark of colonial and early federal American production, as imported lead crystal from Europe was costly and scarce. Arti...