New photography by Shannon Ruff captured with a digital camera-2006.

Spoon and Fork Holder

Manufacturer Canton Glass Co.

Manufacturer Aetna Glass & Manufacturing Co.

CultureAmerican

Dateca. 1884

MediumPressed glass

DimensionsOverall: 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
Base: 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm)

InscribedRaised patent date on underside of foot printed so that it can be read through the top: "PAT SEPT 23 1884".

Credit LineMuseum purchase with funds given by Stuart and Cynthia Katz in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary of his parents, Regina and Louis Katz

Object number91.43

On View

Chrysler Museum of Art, Gallery 116-3, Case 19

DescriptionColorless pressed glass "spoon & fork holder". Made under the mechanical invention patent No. 305,498 issued to David Barker on Sept. 23, 1884 (assigned to the Canton Glass Co.). "Handle has acid-frosted elephant finial on oval platform, mounted on columnar shaft, on block with concave faces (reeded), on domed surface with edge of 12 "T"-shaped notches forming rack, with deep prismatic collar underneath. Base pressed separately-joined to top with merese, columnar shaft on concave block matching top on domed foot..." Numerous flakes on rim of spoon rack. Two corners missing entirely.

Label TextGlass Spoon and Fork Holder - Jumbo Pattern Canton Glass Co., Canton, Ohio or Aetna Glass and Manufacturing Co., Bellaire, Ohio, ca. 1884 Pressed glass Museum purchase with funds given by Stuart and Cynthia Katz in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary of his parents Regina and Louis Katz 91.43 Edited By: GLYPublished ReferencesA.C. Revi, AMERICAN PRESSED GLASS, pg. 103, ill. of parallel object. Arthur G. Peterson, GLASS PATENTS AND PATTERNS, pg. 39, for patent drawing and info. Kamm, PITCHER BOOK V, pp. 77, 131, 14-16 & 155. Although the Canton Glass Co. advertised a "Jumbo Bowl" in Dec. 1883, it provided no description. In that same month, Aetna advertised a Jumbo Bowl with "a perfect imitation Barnum's well-known animal". So, the possibility exists that it was made by Aetna under Canton's patent.