Scroll flask
Unknown Artist
1840–50
Medium
Free-blown molded aquamarine glass
Dimensions
H. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)
Classification
Flask
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Constance R. Brown, 1939
Accession Number
40.150.88
Art Historical Context
This elegant Scroll flask, crafted by an unknown American artist between 1840 and 1850, exemplifies the ingenuity of mid-19th glassmaking in the United States. Standing at 8 3/4 inches tall, the flask features a striking aquamarine hue—a prized blue-green tint achieved through metal oxides in the molten glass. form draws inspiration from a rolled scroll, a motif evoking classical documents or legal parchments, blending functionality with decorative flair. Made using the free-blown molded technique, the piece was first blown into shape on a blowpipe for its fluid body, then pressed into a mold...