An Englishman named Benjamin Bakewell found Pittsburgh's best known glass factory in 1808. The company produced glass items ranging from windows, bottles, lamps, and apothecary equipment to housewares such as this covered compote, a type of footed bowl that was often used to serve stewed fruit or other sweets. To make this piece, workers poured molten glass into metal molds and applied pressure, quickly creating handsome but reasonable priced glass objects for a wide consumer base. The "Argus" in the title refers to a mythic Greek giant with a hundred eyes - not unlike the circular patters that cover the surface of the compote. New label copy from American Wing Rotation, after 2020