Decanter and stopper
ca. 1783â99
Classification
glasswares
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Walter Phelps Warren
Accession Number
1986-61-233-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of late 18-century American domestic life with this *Dec and Stopper*, crafted around 1783–99. As a fine example of glassware from the Smithsonian American Museum's collection, this piece—generously bequeathed by Walter Phelps Warren—highlights the artistry of everyday luxury objects in early America. Though the artist and exact medium details await further research, its classification as glassware places it within a burgeoning craft tradition, where skilled glassmakers produced refined vessels for serving wine, spirits, or water. During the post-Revolutionary era,...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...