Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 122c

Dish

ca. 1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Extensive glass table services became increasingly popular towards the end of the 19th century. Cheaply made, in pressed glass, such elaborate sets became widely available.

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 the quality while cutting costs even further.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Glass, wheel-cut and painted
Brief description
Cut glass fruit bowl, England, 1820-1830
Dimensions
  • Maximum width: 30.0cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 07/07/1999 by Terry
Style
Gallery label
British Galleries: Handling collection(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Bequeathed by Miss D. B. Simpson
Object history
Made in England
Summary
Object Type
Extensive glass table services became increasingly popular towards the end of the 19th century. Cheaply made, in pressed glass, such elaborate sets became widely available.

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 the quality while cutting costs even further.
Collection
Accession number
C.4-1977

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
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