Glass Stemware Fragment (Archaeological Find)
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Title:
Glass Stemware Fragment
Subject:
After a long day of classes, you eagerly anticipate your next meal at the dining hall. Your parents have just imported fancy glassware from England, adding a touch of elegance that you can now show off to all your classmates.
In Harvard Yard, we discovered the following fragment of glass stemware likely belonging to a student in the 18th century. More specifically, the artifact is a facet-cut stem featuring a hexagonal shape, a style that dates from 1760 to 1810 (Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab). The colorless leaded stemmed glass features a series of mold lines that run down the length of the piece, leaving sharp edges and a flawless finish. Considering its level of craftsmanship, the glass stemware symbolizes a high level of sophistication and affluence. For example, a painting by Anne Vallayer-Coster showing the lifestyle of wealthy Parisians prominently features a silver verrière filled with crystal stemware just like ours (Kimbell Art Museum).
The facet-cut stem design represented a shift towards a “smaller, lighter, daintier” style of glassware compared to the plain English styles from decades prior (McNally, 1982, 61–62). In fact, sources described facet-cut stems as the height of fashion in the 1780s, coveted by those who could afford it (McNally, 1977, 117–18). For colonial Americans, these imported luxuries were a status symbol, flaunted proudly, especially by students at prestigious institutions like Harvard.
But where did these imported goods come from? Using invoice books from John & Thomas Amory, a popular store in Boston for all things imported from England, we discover that they have previously ordered items like “Table Wines Cut Stem” on August 25th, 1783 (Baker Library Special Collections and Archives). That being said, it is likely that one of these companies were responsible for the artifact showing up in Harvard Yard.
Reflecting on these pieces from the dining table sheds tremendous light on the economic disparities of Harvard still prevalent in the 18th century, highlighting the privilege of those who could afford such a high-class lifestyle.
Source:
“Invoice Books, Nos. 17-34, 1783 August-October Digital.” Baker Library Special Collections and Archives. Accessed February 24, 2024. https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/11/archival_objects/2446360.
McNally, Paul. “Table Glass From the Fort at Coteau-Du-Lac, Quebec.” History and Archaeology / Histoire et Archéologie 15 (1977): 89–150. http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/ha/15.pdf.
McNally, Paul. “Table Glass in Canada, 1700-1850.” History and Archaeology / Histoire et Archéologie 60 (1982): 1–164. http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/ha/60.pdf.
“Still Life with Mackerel, 1787.” Kimbell Art Museum. Accessed February 24, 2024. https://kimbellart.org/collection/apg-201901.
“Table Glass Vessel Forms.” Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory. Accessed February 24, 2024. https://apps.jefpat.maryland.gov/diagnostic/TableGlass/TableglassVesselForms.html.
Contributor:
Skye Lam
Object Name:
Glass Stemware Fragment
Inventory Description:
A fragment of the stem of a colorless leaded wine glass.
Peabody Number:
2023.11.3
Culture/Period:
1760-1810
Intrasite:
H984 Level #1
Depth:
0-20 cm
Class 1:
Glass
Class 2:
Fragment
Class 3:
Stemware
Quantity:
1
Height (cm):
3.5
Width (cm):
2.7
Depth/Thickness (cm):
1.1
Notes:
The style is a facet-cut stem with a hexagonal shape.
Century:
18th Century