Pattern Name:HAMILTON

Pattern Motif:Geometric

Glass Type:Flint

Era:1860s

Description:50 Favorites - 43 Ruth Webb Lee writes of the HAMILTON pattern that, “Vague stories have been told to the effect that this was a favorite of Alexander Hamiltion and was named HAMILTON for this reason.” (Early American Pressed Glass). She notes that the c.1865 date assigned to the pressed pattern rules out the possibility of such an association, but observes that the pattern seemed inspired by Anglo-Irish cut-glass patterns typical of the Federal period. This observation is supported by an early advertisement in Antiques that refers to the HAMILTON design as the “Waterford” pattern (July 1925). Perhaps Mr. Hamilton was associated in some way with a set of Anglo-Irish style cut glass and, by extension, with the pressed HAMILTON pattern. An 1864-1869 price list by the Cape Cod Glass Company illustrates a sugar bowl in this pattern as CAPE COD. Collectors, nevertheless, continue to refer to it as HAMILTON, no doubt to avoid confusion with the popular CAPE COD patter so closely related to CANADIAN. (50 Favorites catalogue) U1, p.315; M1, p. 26