Decanter Engraved with Battle between the USS Hornet and HMS Peacock

Object Name: 
Decanter Engraved with Battle between the USS Hornet and HMS Peacock

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Object Name: 
Decanter Engraved with Battle between the USS Hornet and HMS Peacock
Maker(s): 
Place Made: 
United States, PA, Pittsburgh
Accession Number: 
55.4.44
Dimensions: 
Overall H: 27.9 cm; Body Diam (max): 15.3 cm
Location: 
Not on Display
Date: 
1813-1816
Web Description: 
These two ships fought battle during the War of 1812. The engraved scene on the decanter illustrates the moment when the Peacock surrendered and sank, only 15 minutes after the battle commenced on February 24, 1813. The initials "JL" may stand for the Hornet's captain, James Lawrence.

More Info

Department: 
Early Modern
Provenance: 
Leaugeay, Ihmsen, Former Collection
Phillips, P. Leaugeay, Former Collection
Phillips, Dr. J. L., Former Collection
Stevenson, Mrs. L. P., Former Collection
McKearin Antiques, Source
1955-11-12
Category: 
Early American
Color: 
colorless
Technique: 
glassblowing
tooling
engraving
applied decoration
Material: 
glass
Inscription: 
THE HORNET AND PEACOCK; J. L.
inscription
: 
Engraved body

Description

Primary Description: 
Decanter. Clear glass with slight greyish tinge; wear marks at base; free blown, tooled and engraved; globular body (capacity: a little over two quarts) with concave base having rough pontil marks and tapering towards almost cylindrical neck with flanged lip or rim; stopper (not original stopper) of pressed glass with mushroom finial; three angular collars applied to neck; on the body the naval engagement between the "Hornet" and the "Peacock" in the War of 1812, lower part of body engraved to imitate water: two boats bring survivors from the sinking British to the victorious American ship; on the other side: "THE HORNET AND PEACOCK" above two leaf sprays enclosing the initials "J.L.".

Exhibitions (2)

Masterpieces of American Glass
Venue(s)
Museum of Applied Arts 1990-07-27 through 1990-09-02
State Hermitage Museum 1990-09-15 through 1990-10-21
Museum of the State Institute of Glass 1990-11-02 through 1991-01-04
Glassmaking: America's First Industry
Venue(s)
Strong Museum 1990-04-17 through 1990-04-29
 

Publications (10)

American Antiques and Collectibles (2001) illustrated, p. 274; BIB# 76353
Hikari no shouchu: sekai no garasu = The glass (1992) p. 233; BIB# 58995
Shedevry amerikanskogo stekla: iz kollektsij Muzeia Stekla v Korninge i Muzeia Iskusstva v Tolido (1990) illustrated, p. 48, #19; BIB# 34475
A Catalogue of American Antiques (1990) illustrated, p. 102; BIB# 69239
Masterpieces of American Glass (1990) illustrated, pp. 17, 92, pl. 20; BIB# 33046
Glassmaking: America's First Industry (1976) illustrated, frontispiece; BIB# 28025
Pittsburgh Glass, 1797-1891 (1976) illustrated, p. 168 (fig. 140); BIB# 19272
Glass from the Corning Museum of Glass: A Guide to the Collections (1974) (1974) illustrated, p. 90, #113; BIB# 28793
Glass from the Corning Museum of Glass: A Guide to the Collections (1965) (1965) illustrated, p. 86, #107; BIB# 27582
Glass from the Corning Museum of Glass: A Guide to the Collections (1958) (1958) illustrated, p. 84, #97; BIB# 27746