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This vase is one of the most important American pieces in our collection because
it is the earliest documented piece of multi-layered glass. It has four layers, colorless, green,
white and ruby and then it has gilt decorations. It was blown by William Layton who was the
supervisor of the New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts and was obviously
made as an exhibition piece. Layton s son commented in the 1880s that his father was
the only glassblower in the United States who capable of making a four-layered piece
at this time because obviously that is a very difficult process. So it is a stunning item
to look at, but it is also historically very important because of the fact that it was
a new technology that was new to the United States at that time. The vase was a gift to
us by Layton's great-great grandson and we are very grateful to the family for giving
us this object and allowing us to put it on view.