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Bowl
J. Stembridge & Co. - Enlarge image
Bowl
- Place of origin:
Holborn, England (made)
- Date:
1888 (design registered)
- Artist/Maker:
J. Stembridge & Co. (manufacturer)
- Materials and Techniques:
Press-moulded glass
- Credit Line:
Given by M. J. Franklin
- Museum number:
C.197-1983
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 122c, case 1
Object Type
This bowl is one of many types of press-moulded glass container that were cheaply made, and became widely available and popular, in the 19th century.
Materials & Making
The technique of press-moulding glass with the aid of a hand-operated machine was first perfected in the United States of America in the early 1820s. It took only two people to shape a measured quantity of hot glass in a heated metal mould. By simply depressing a lever, a metal plunger was lowered into the glass, forcing it into the patterned mould. By the 1830s this method had spread to Europe and Britain, giving rise to stylistic changes and revolutionising the availability of glassware. The technique made the mid- to late 19th century the first period of true mass production. In the 1890s the introduction of steam-powered presses improved quality while cutting costs even further.
