Size: measuring roughly 8-1/4 inches tall and 6-1/2 inches wide, very heavyweight glass

Color: RICH HEMINGRAY BLUE-GREEN

Appearance: shiny

Condition: two small chips as shown, and a light bruise in the mouth as shown

Strength of embossing: very strong and sharp

Base: unmarked

Age: 1857-1860

Availability: Only example known.

According to the research of Hemingray historian Bob Stahr:

"Peter Smith is listed in the 1861 Cincinnati city directory as Importer and Dealer in Dauguerreotype, Ambrotype and Melainotype materials (photographic materials). There are a number of patents of the era mentioning photographic bath vessels being made of glass and other types of materials."

Bob also notes that the logo "Gray, Hemingray & Bros" indicates the period of 1857-1860.

An extremely rare, possibly singular, example of great importance as perhaps the only known piece of glass in existence being embossed "Gray, Hemingray & Bros".

This early pressed glass manufacturing technique also demonstrates an early stage in the evolution of methods that this company would move on to use for several decades of glass insulator production.