Antique Albany Glass Works Historical Flask Gi-28 Steamboat Sailboat Aqua Glass 1840s

Details

Description

This rare, authentic early American historical flask features an aqua green blown-molded body produced by the Albany Glass Works in … Read more This rare, authentic early American historical flask features an aqua green blown-molded body produced by the Albany Glass Works in Albany, New York, dating to circa 1845–1850.

Obverse: Embossed arched text reads "ALBANY GLASS WORKS" surrounding a central profile bust portrait of a stylized figure above "ALBANY N.Y."

Reverse: Features a detailed embossed full-rigged sailing vessel / steamboat on water.

Base & Lip: Open pontil base with a jagged glass scar, vertical mold seams along the sides, and a plain sheared lip with an applied ring/collar.

Dimensions & Specifications
Dimensions: 6" H x 3.5" W

Weight: 8.7 oz

Color: Light Aqua Green

Era: Circa 1845–1850

Origin: Albany, New York (Albany Glass Works)

Authenticity Assessment This piece exhibits all classic markers of early-to-mid 19th-century American blown glass. Key authenticating traits include a true sheared mouth finish, a raw open pontil scar on the basal recess created when the iron pontil rod was snapped off, asymmetric vertical mold seams along the vertical ribs, and characteristic seed bubbles entrapped within the aqua batch glass. The embossing profile and mold characteristics align precisely with mid-19th-century production at the Albany Glass Works site.

Reference
Reference Book: American Bottles and Flasks and Their Imagery
Authors: Helen McKearin and Kenneth M. Wilson
Classification Code / Page Reference: Listed under Historical Flask Classification GI-28 (Albany Glass Works / Sailboat series), Page 452.

Historical & Design Significance: A superb specimen of mid-19th-century American utilitarian art, this open-pontil historical flask embodies early Industrial Revolution craftsmanship from New York's Hudson Valley region. The rich tactile glass density and distinctive aqua hue make it an exceptional historical accent piece.

Curator’s Note: Display this early American flask on a sunlit windowsill, glass shelving unit, or styled amidst leather-bound volumes in a library or executive study. Its organic aqua tone and primitive blown-glass texture provide an authentic architectural focal point for traditional, rustic, or curated eclectic interiors. See less