Small drinking vessel

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this *Small Drinking Vessel* from the Brooklyn Glass Company, circa 1855, exemplifies mid-19th-century American glassmaking ingenuity. Standing just 4 3/4 inches tall, this delicate glass piece was crafted during a booming era for U.S. industry, when factories like Brooklyn Flint—located in New York—rivaled European imports by producing clear, high-quality flint glass tableware for everyday use. Flint glass, made with lead oxide, lent the vessel its sparkling clarity and resonance, ideal for cutting and engraving techniques that added elegance to functional objects. The Brooklyn Flint Glass Company specialized in such pressed and blown glassware, reflecting the era's blend of mass production and artisanal skill amid rapid urbanization and the rise of the middle class. This modest tumbler or cordial glass would have graced American dining tables, symbolizing affordable luxury. Acquired in 2015 through the bequest of Emma A. Sheafer, it highlights the enduring appeal of American decorative arts—simple yet sophisticated, bridging utility and beauty in a young nation's material culture.