Inside the Collections Care Project: Art glass made in Somerville style

This week, as Historic New England wraps up the first phase of the Collections Care Project, we continue to share our favorite pieces from earlier in the project.

We have moved more than 21,000 objects to temporary storage in order to make improvements to our collections facility in Haverhill, Massachusetts, with approximately 400 left to go.

This little vase catches the eye with its swirls of green and white iridescent glass, lustrous gold interior, and three brightly colored feet. The Union Glass Company of Somerville, Massachusetts, made pressed and silvered glass between 1851 and 1924.

By scrambling the letters in a factory manager’s name, W. S. Blake, the company developed the “Kew Blas” line of decorated iridescent glassware. This Art Nouveau glassware is in the tradition of glassware made by Tiffany & Co. and Quezal.

Check back next week for another highlight from Historic New England’s vast collection. Support the ongoing preservation of these treasures with a gift to the Collections Care Project.