Images(2)

vase

Object NameVase

Maker William Leighton (American, 1808-1891)

Manufacturer New England Glass Company (1818-1878)

Made FromLead Glass, Gilding

Dateabout 1848-1858

Place MadeUnited States, MA, East Cambridge

TechniqueBlown, cut, gilded

SizeOverall H: 43.9 cm; Rim Diam: 14.8 cm

Accession Number93.4.9

Curatorial Area(s)

Modern

Exhibitions

The Fragile Art: Extraordinary Objects from The Corning Museum of Glass

Splitting the Rainbow: Cut Glass in Color

On ViewAmerican Gallery

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

Appearances can be deceiving. This cut and gilded vase blown from four layers of glass - colorless, red, green, and opaque white - is very Bohemian in appearance. However, it was made by William Leighton at the New England Glass Company between 1848 and about 1858. Leighton, son of the factory’s manager, was a very skillful blower and a self-taught glass chemist. About 1848, he developed a formula for ruby glass. Before that time, ruby glass was imported from Europe in the form of ingots and remelted for use in the United States. Because the vase is elaborately decorated, it was probably made for display, possibly at the 1853 New York world’s fair, where the New England glassworks had an extensive display. The Corning Museum of Glass acquired the vase from one of Leighton’s descendants.

Physical DescriptionColorless, ruby, opaque white, green lead glasses; blown, cut, gilded. Ovoid body with flaring top cut into ten scalloped petals, spreading hollow foot flat on the bottom. Vase is blown of colorless glass with overlays of ruby, opaque white and opaque green, in that order; the ruby glass covers the entire surface except for the neck; the lower two thirds of the body have the green over white petals extending up from the base and the foot has green over white petals extending down and white ones which project to edge of foot; the base has six green and white scallops showing on the ruby surface with a ground pontil mark in the center. The surface has been completely cut and polished due to the cutting of the top layers and there is additional gilt decoration on the top rim and all over the neck, body and foot.
Provenance

Former Collection George William Leighton

Former Collection William Leighton (American, 1808-1891)
William Leighton, Sr.