Washington Monument/Corn Ear Quart Flask
Manufacturer
Baltimore Glass Works
CultureAmerican
Dateca. 1845-1850
MediumMold-blown glass
DimensionsOverall: 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm)
Overall, Rim: 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm)
Overall, Rim: 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm)
Credit LineGift of Charles Sibley
Object number79.215.5
Not on view
DescriptionFlask of mold-blown aqua glass. Quart sized. Large ear of corn in high relief with "Corn for the World" above. On reverse is the Baltimore Washington monument. Beneath this is "BALTIMORE". GV1-4, narrow, flat collar rim. Some corrosion inside and crack down neck.Label TextBaltimore Glass Works Baltimore, Maryland Washington Monument / Corn Ear Quart Flask, ca. 1845-1850 Mold-blown glass Inscriptions: BALTIMORE / CORN FOR THE WORLD Gift of Charles Sibley 79.215.5 Baltimore's Washington Monument, shown on this flask, was begun in 1809 and was completed in 1829 when a 16-foot high marble statue of George Washington was placed on top. The 204-foot high landmark was a suitable symbol for the City of Baltimore to pair on a flask with the slogan "Corn for the World" and an ear of corn - a timely reference to that city's important grain trade. In the 1840s, corn was championed as a possible solution to the potato famine in Ireland. The repeal of the English Corn Laws in 1846 (which had previously restricted the importation of grain into England) may well have provided the impetus for the production of these flasks.Exhibition History"First in the Hearts of His Countrymen: America Remembers George Washington 1732-1799," Chrysler Museum of Art, Nov. 23, 1999 - Summer 2001. Published ReferencesMcKearin-Wilson, _American Bottles & Flasks_, pg. 472-475.
