American Sandwich Glass Compote

Details

Description

Scalloped Grandeur: Pressed Lead Glass Compote of the Mid-19th Century

This striking Lobed Compote is a handsome piece of American … Read more Scalloped Grandeur: Pressed Lead Glass Compote of the Mid-19th Century

This striking Lobed Compote is a handsome piece of American Pressed Glass, attributed to the famous factories of the period, such as the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company, dating to the Mid-19th Century (circa 1850–1870).

The circular, footed compote is visually dynamic, defined by a generously sized bowl with a distinctively lobed, undulating rim. The bowl itself is molded with twelve repeating vertical panels, which resemble large petals or flutes, radiating from a central star or rosette pattern in the base (clearly visible in the inverted images). The bowl sits upon a hollow, flaring, and vertically ribbed stem that terminates in a sturdy circular foot.

The piece is crafted from clear lead glass (flint glass), giving it a heavier weight and brilliant clarity that was highly sought after and intended to imitate expensive hand-cut crystal.

Dimensions: 7 inches high x 9 1/4 inch diameter.

Historical Context: EAPG and Victorian Dining

This compote belongs to the era of Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG), made possible by the invention and rapid refinement of the glass-pressing machine in the 1820s. Factories like Sandwich used this technology to mass-produce decorative and affordable tableware for the burgeoning middle class.

Serving dishes like this compote were essential fixtures in the elaborate Victorian dining service, used to display fruits, jellies, sweetmeats, or desserts at the center of the table. The highly decorative, mechanical precision of the lobed and paneled design reflects the mid-19th-century American desire for accessible luxury and a love for intricate, light-refracting patterns.

References:

McKearin, George S. and Helen. American Glass. Crown Publishers, 1941. (Fundamental resource for identifying American pressed flint glass from the mid-19th century and the products of the Boston & Sandwich Glass Co.)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Collection records confirm the form and dating of similar large, footed, geometric pressed glass compotes to the 1850–1870 period.)

Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG) Documentation. (General context for the common forms, materials, and popularity of clear pressed glass compotes in this period.)
(Ref: NY9992-irr) See less