Collection
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Decorative Arts and Design

Magic Caster, Patent Model and Label

Edward Gleason

1 of 3

Object Label

In the United States, the government issues patents to protect the innovations of inventors and designers, reflecting the importance of new ideas and the objects that result from them. This is the actual model submitted to the Patent Office by Edward Gleason for a variant of the “magic caster.”

Caption

Edward Gleason. Magic Caster, Patent Model and Label, patented December 1, 1857. White metal, brass, paper, Model: 16 1/4 x 9 x 9 in. (41.3 x 22.9 x 22.9 cm); Label: 3 1/8" x 2 3/4". Brooklyn Museum, Purchased with funds given by the Long Island Chapter of the Victorian Society of America, 1992.207a-b. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Gallery

Not on view

Title

Magic Caster, Patent Model and Label

Date

patented December 1, 1857

Medium

White metal, brass, paper

Classification

Food/Drink

Dimensions

Model: 16 1/4 x 9 x 9 in. (41.3 x 22.9 x 22.9 cm); Label: 3 1/8" x 2 3/4"

Credit Line

Purchased with funds given by the Long Island Chapter of the Victorian Society of America

Accession Number

1992.207a-b

Frequent Art Questions

  • What is this?

    That is a magic caster! One is the object itself, and the other is a patent model that was submitted to the US Government by the manufacturer, R. Gleason & Sons, for a patent. This would be placed on a dinner table and when the knob at the top was rotated, it would spin and reveal condiment bottles in those little openings!

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Artists and makers

Edward Gleason

1 work in the collection

R. Gleason & Sons

2 works in the collection