Burlington Glass Works
Canadian, active 1875–1909
Covered comport, c. 1876
Glass
22.3 x 18.2 cm
Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Gift of Dr. E.J. Thomas
G-84-332 ab
Categories:
The WAG has a broad collection of pressed glass that, when first invented in the 1820s, allowed for inexpensive, mass production of patterned glass. The technique involved pouring molten glass into a metal mold, and then applying pressure to evenly press the glass over all aspects of the mold. Pressed glass proved very popular as it allowed middle-class North American families to enjoy elegant and affordable glassware at home. A vast number of patterns were produced and copied worldwide, making exact attribution difficult. Many patterns were strictly non-representational, others included figural or landscape references. The Westward Ho pattern features scenes of western settlement: a log cabin, wooded landscape, a deer, and a buffalo. A kneeling Aboriginal figure serves as the finial.