Flask
c. 1850
Medium
Glass
Classification
flask (bottle)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
50667
Art Historical Context
This elegant flask, crafted by the Baltimore Glass Works around 1850, exemplifies the vibrant glassmaking tradition of mid-19th-century America. Produced during the height of the "American Flask" (roughly 1820–1860), these pocket-sized bottles were essential for carrying spirits or medicines, blending everyday utility with decorative flair. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts the Americas department, it highlights the ingenuity of regional factories like Baltimore Glass Works, which thrived in Maryland by employing skilled immigrant artisans and innovative machinery. The flask's gla...