More than 300 patterns of American pressed glass are documented, described, and illustrated in this comprehensive reference guide for collectors. In this informative and fully illustrated guide, Bob H. Batty—a noted collector of pressed glass—covers more than three hundred glass patterns. Two hundred of which are identified and illustrated for the first time for the first time. Artist John Hendricks’ drawings depict the design and character of the various patterns and in many cases highlight special design and detail of notable patterns. All of the works shown are from Batty’s personal collection, which numbers more than 2,700 pieces representing some 1,900 patterns. Batty, who has pursued his glass collecting with scholarly attention to historical accuracy and detail, has named many of the previously uncatalogued patterns after cities and landmarks throughout his native South. A number of foreign patterns are also included, with precise measurements given for every piece depicted.

This book illustrates and discusses 300 prime objects displayed in the 1970 exhibition of American decorative arts displayed during the Centennial exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1970. Presented as a series of lavish room settings and galleries, the exhibit included pieces in the 19th century’s principal styles of furniture and decorative arts--Federal, Empire, Gothic, rococo, Renaissance, art nouveau, and reform. Objects featured in this book include various pieces of furniture, silver, glass, ceramics, and metalwork from the Museum’s American wing.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1883.

Edward Drummond Libbey was a glassmaker, industrialist, artist, innovator and art collector. Both practical and creative, he forever changed the glass industry with the automatic bottle-making machine and automatic sheet glass machine. This work examines the long career of Libbey, particularly his innovation of American flint cut glass, his contributions to the middle-class American table through affordable glassware, and his enormous art glass and painting collections, which eventually formed the basis for the Toledo Museum of Art's collection. Libbey single-handedly revolutionized glassmaking, a craft which had gone virtually unchanged for 2000 years.

The first encyclopedia to look at the study of material culture (objects, images, spaces technology, production, and consumption), and what it reveals about historical and contemporary life in the United States. Reaching back 400 years, Material Life in America: An Encyclopedia is the first reference showing what the study of material culture reveals about American society—revelations not accessible through traditional sources and methods. In nearly 200 entries, the encyclopedia traces the history of artifacts, concepts and ideas, industries, peoples and cultures, cultural productions, historical forces, periods and styles, religious and secular rituals and traditions, and much more. Everyone from researchers and curators to students and general readers will find example after example of how the objects and environments created or altered by humans reveal as much about American life as diaries, documents, and texts.