Fish swimming in clear water, blooming flowers, butterflies, and a bird present an idealized landscape on this container for iced drinking water. In the 1880s, New York City was plagued by polluted water and soiled streets. The Board of Health began a city-wide effort to expand access to fresh water and underground drainage, but clean, cool drinking water remained a luxury for many citizens. This Union Porcelain Works cooler, featuring fashionable Japanese-style decoration, was marketed to wealthy families and hotels as a healthy water filtration system (see image).