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Pressed, or molded, glass was invented in the early nineteenth century during the Industrial Revolution in England and brought to the United States by enterprising industrialists. Whereas glass objects created by traditional glassblowing methods were individually made, factory-produced pressed glass was manufactured in multiples that were less expensive and available to a larger audience.

Although the process of pressing glass was used mainly to manufacture utilitarian tabletop objects such as drinking vessels, it was also employed to produce the types of souvenirs and commemorative objects that are displayed here. These objects might convey a religious message, such as “Bless our daily bread,” or a political one, such as “Remember the Maine,” referring to the destruction of a battleship in Havana harbor that ignited the Spanish-American War in 1898. Other objects bear the likenesses of famous historical figures and anticipate our modern notions of fame and the cult of the personality.

Nearly all of the commemorative pressed glass in the Museum was accessioned at one time in 1940 from a single collection formed earlier in the twentieth century. When this glass was made, probably no one thought it was destined for a museum. Eventually, the passionate zeal and discerning eye of the collector, and then those of the curator, transformed these souvenirs into a collection that reflects a great deal about manufacturing, consumerism, and important moments in the history of the United States. Over the ensuing years, curators have added to the original core group of glass, building on one strength of the collection.

Visible Storage: Case 21, Shelf A (Pressed Glass)
	40.245	American Plate (Pittsburgh Exposition), 1875 View object details...
	40.269	American Plate, ca. 1880 View object details...
	40.270	American Plate, late 19th century View object details...
	40.273	American Plate (U.S. Battleship Maine), 1898 View object details...
	52.110.1a-b	American Bottle, Figure of Pugilist or Boxer, late 19th century View object details...
	52.110.14	American Bottle, Figure of Uncle Sam, ca. 1915 View object details...
	52.110.24	Bottle, Figure of Man with Rifle, possibly late 19th century View object details...
	52.110.46	Bottle, Bust of George Washington, ca. 1930-1935 View object details...
	58.100	American Plate (James Garfield), ca. 1881 View object details...
	86.127a-b	American Punch Bowl with Base, ca. 1900 View object details...
	87.18	Anchor Glass Container Corporation Mug (Statue of Liberty Centennial), 1985 View object details...
Visible Storage: Case 21, Shelf B (Pressed Glass)
	40.187	Unknown Compote (George Peabody), late 19th century View object details...
	40.188	Unknown Mug (George Peabody), late 19th century View object details...
	40.189	Toothpick Holder (Amerigo Vespucci & Christopher Columbus), ca. 1892 View object details...
	40.216	American Platter (Liberty Bell), ca. 1876 View object details...
	40.219a	American Pitcher (George Dewey), ca. 1899 View object details...
	40.219b	American Tumbler (George Dewey), ca. 1899 View object details...
	40.226.1a-b	James Gillinder & Sons Compote, "Westward Ho!" Pattern, ca. 1880 View object details...
	40.241	American Plate (St. Louis World's Fair), 1904 View object details...
	40.249	American Flask (Chicago Century of Progress), 1933 View object details...
	40.254	American Platter (Texas Centennial), 1936 View object details...
	40.257	American Mug (Tennessee Centennial), 1897 View object details...
	40.262	American Plate (U.S. Battleship Maine), ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.263a-b	American Covered Dish (U.S. Battleship Wheeling), ca. 1899 View object details...
	40.264a-b	American Covered Dish (U.S. Battleship Oregon), ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.267	American Plate (Roger Williams Monument), late 19th century View object details...
	40.282	American Compote (Christopher Columbus & Amerigo Vespucci), 1892 View object details...
	43.134.1	American Glass (William McKinley), 1897-1901 View object details...
	43.134.2	American Glass (Chicago World's Fair), 1893 View object details...
	44.32.6	American Celery Holder, ca. 1858 View object details...
	52.110.22	Bottle, early 20th century View object details...
	52.110.50	American Bottle (Jenny Lind), ca. 1930 View object details...
	52.110.70	Bottle, possibly late 19th century View object details...
	52.110.122	Bottle, Bunker Hill Monument, late 19th century View object details...
	1998.96.1	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Plate, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.2a-b	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Finger Bowl and Underplate, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.3	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Jelly Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.4	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Pitcher, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.5	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Pitcher, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.6	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Pitcher, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.7	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Pitcher, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.8a-b	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Cheese Dish with Cover, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.9	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Pitcher, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.10	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.11	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.12	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.13	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.14	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.15	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.16	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Glass, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.17	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Vase or Pitcher, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.18	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Flower Trough, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.19	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Flower Trough, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.20	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Footed Ice Bowl, 1875-1885 View object details...
	1998.96.24	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Finger Bowl, 1875-1885 View object details...
Visible Storage: Case 21, Shelf C (Pressed Glass)
	40.158	Tray (Grover Cleveland & Thomas Hendricks), ca. 1884 View object details...
	40.166	Plate (Ulysses S. Grant), 1885 View object details...
	40.168	Plate (James Garfield), ca. 1881 View object details...
	40.169	Plate (James Garfield), ca. 1881 View object details...
	40.170	Plate (James Garfield), ca. 1881 View object details...
	40.172	Plate (James Garfield), ca. 1881 View object details...
	40.173	Plate (William McKinley), ca. 1896 View object details...
	40.178	Plate (Nathaniel P. Banks), ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.179	Plate or Saucer (Fitzhugh Lee), ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.181	American Plate (William McKinley & Theodore Roosevelt), 1901 View object details...
	40.184	Goblet (Ulysses S. Grant & Henry Wilson), ca. 1877 View object details...
	40.185	Plate (George Dewey), ca. 1899 View object details...
	40.186	Plate (Henry Ward Beecher), ca. 1887 View object details...
	40.192	Plate (Pope Leo XIII), ca. 1893 View object details...
	40.193	Plate (Sir Moses Montefiore), ca. 1885 View object details...
	40.194	Plate (Kaiser Wilhelm I), ca. 1888 View object details...
	40.195	Plate (Christopher Columbus), ca. 1892 View object details...
	40.196	Plate (Christopher Columbus), ca. 1892 View object details...
	40.206	American Plate (King George IV & Elizabeth), 1939 View object details...
	40.258	American Platter (Eureka / Gold Rush), 1849 View object details...
	80.248.2	Boston and Sandwich Glass Company Salt, Lafayette Boat, ca. 1825 View object details...
Pressed Glass case Visible Storage: Case 21, Shelf D (Pressed Glass)
	40.154	Plate (George Washington, James Garfield, & Abraham Lincoln), 1881 View object details...
	40.155	American Tray or Plaque (Benjamin Harrison & Levi Morton), ca. 1889 View object details...
	40.156	Tray (James Blaine & John Logan), ca. 1884 View object details...
	40.157	Platter (James Blaine & John Logan), ca. 1884 View object details...
	40.159	Plate (Grover Cleveland), 1884-1889 View object details...
	40.160	Plate (James Blaine), ca. 1884 View object details...
	40.161	Plate (Thomas Hendricks), 1884-1889 View object details...
	40.162	Plate (John Logan), ca. 1884 View object details...
	40.163	Plate (Grover Cleveland), ca. 1884 View object details...
	40.164	Platter (George Washington), ca. 1876 View object details...
	40.165	Libbey Glass Company Hatchet with Relief of George Washington, ca. 1893 View object details...
	40.167	American Plate (Ulysses S. Grant), ca. 1885 View object details...
	40.174	American Plate (William McKinley), 1901 View object details...
	40.175a-b	Mug with Lid (William McKinley), ca. 1896 View object details...
	40.177	American Plate (Theodore Roosevelt), 1904 View object details...
	40.182	Mug (Abraham Lincoln & James Garfield), ca. 1881 View object details...
	40.247	American Vinegar Flask (George Washington), 1932 View object details...
	40.275	American Bottle, Figure of George Washington, late 19th century View object details...
	40.276	American Bottle, Figure of Theodore Roosevelt, 1909 View object details...
	41.698	American Paperweight, Washington Monument, ca. 1885 View object details...
	45.171	American Salt (George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette), ca. 1827 View object details...
Visible Storage: Case 21, Shelf E (Pressed Glass)
	40.190	American Goodwill Plane with Charles Lindberg, 1928 View object details...
	40.191	Challinor, Taylor & Co. Compote, "Goddess of Liberty" pattern, ca. 1850 View object details...
	40.207	American Platter (Niagara Falls), ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.208	Crystal Glass Company Platter (Alaskan scene), 1867 View object details...
	40.209a	Crystal Glass Company Pitcher (Alaskan scene), 1867 View object details...
	40.209b	Crystal Glass Company Goblet (Alaskan scene), 1867 View object details...
	40.209c	Crystal Glass Company Goblet (Alaskan scene), 1867 View object details...
	40.225a-b	Canton Glass Company Bowl and Lid, "Jumbo" pattern, 1882 View object details...
	40.227a-b	American Sugar Bowl and Cover, 1858 View object details...
	40.228	James Gillinder & Sons Paperweight, Figure of a Lion, ca. 1876 View object details...
	40.230	American Paperweight, Plymouth Rock, 1876 View object details...
	40.231	American Salt, Lafayette Boat, ca. 1825-1830 View object details...
	40.235a-b	American Butter Dish and Lid, 1892 View object details...
	40.250	American Paperweight, Gay Head Lighthouse, late 19th century View object details...
	40.253	American Flask (New York World's Fair), 1939 View object details...
	40.259a-b	American Covered Dish (Spanish-American War), 1898 View object details...
	40.260a-b	American Covered Dish, Battleship with Admiral George Dewey, 1899 View object details...
	40.261a-b	American Covered Dish, Battleship with Uncle Sam, 1880 View object details...
	40.265a-b	Covered Dish, U.S. Battleship Maine, ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.266	American Bust of Admiral George Dewey, 1899 View object details...
	40.274	Uncle Sam's Hat, 1880 View object details...
	40.277	American Bottle, Figure of Napoleon Bonaparte, late 19th century View object details...
	40.279	American Bottle, Bust of Henry Ward Beecher, 1887 View object details...
	40.280	American Bottle, Figure of French Soldier, late 19th century View object details...
	40.281	American Bottle, Figure of Carrie Nation, late 19th century View object details...
	40.376	American Bank (New York World's Fair), 1940 View object details...
	40.378	American Bottle, Figure of Seated Old Man, 19th century View object details...
	41.697	American Figure, Statue of Liberty, late 19th century View object details...
	44.32.8a-b	Canton Glass Company Butter Dish with Lid, "Jumbo" pattern, ca. 1882 View object details...
	83.126.2	Unknown Highball Glass (Brooklyn Bridge), 1983 View object details...
	83.126.3	Unknown Paperweight (Brooklyn Bridge), 1983 View object details...
Visible Storage: Case 21, Shelf F (Pressed Glass)
	40.171	Pitcher, ca. 1881 View object details...
	40.210	American Platter (Train with Engine #350), 1869 View object details...
	40.211	American Platter (Bunker Hill Monument), 1876 View object details...
	40.212	American Bread Plate (Continental Hall), 1876 View object details...
	40.213	American Bread Plate (Centennial), 1876 View object details...
	40.217	American Platter (Old State House / Independence Hall), 1876 View object details...
	40.218	American Paperweight (Memorial Hall from Centennial Exhibition), 1876 View object details...
	40.222	American Platter (Grand Army of the Republic), late 19th century View object details...
	40.223	American Platter (Knights of Labor), 1869 View object details...
	40.234a-b	American Butter Dish and Lid, ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.236	American Platter (Pacific Fleet with Admirals Charles Sperry and Robley Evans), 1908 View object details...
	40.237	American Plate (Leonardo DaVinci's Last Supper), late 19th century View object details...
	40.238	American Platter (McCormack Reaper), 1831 View object details...
	40.239	American Plate (Railroad Crossing scene), late 19th century View object details...
	40.242	American Tumbler or Glass (St. Louis World's Fair), 1904 View object details...
	40.243	American Tumbler or Glass (St. Louis World's Fair), 1904 View object details...
	40.252a-b	American Compote (Maggie Mitchell & Fanny Davenport), ca. 1883 View object details...
	40.255	American Paperweight (Texas Centennial), ca. 1936 View object details...
	40.271	American Plate (Native American Chief), late 19th century View object details...
	40.377.1	American Sugar Bowl, ca. 1898 View object details...
	40.377.2	American Cream Pitcher or Creamer, ca. 1898 View object details...
	46.161.2	American Pickle Dish (Centennial), ca. 1876 View object details...
	52.110.4a-b	Bottle, Fish, late 19th century View object details...
	2001.53	Platter (Cleopatra), late 19th century View object details...