Mexican
Float, 19th century - 20th century
Glass with fiber net, 17.8 cm (7 in.)
This hand blown glass fishing float is a hollow orb ~7inches in diameter. It is covered with a hand knotted net made of thin, brown natural fiber. The netting is formed by knots at each corner of small individual squares that turn into triangles at the top and the bottom of the glass sphere that they surround. There is more fiber rope and a metal hook at the top to hang the float. The clear glass is bubbled and semi-opaque rather than transparent, with a light blue cast.. There is a small round opening at the top of the orb with a glass cap to seal it.
Macknight Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.