American. <em>Covered Sugar Bowl</em>, 18th century. Glass, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 40.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.9a-b.jpg)

American. Covered Sugar Bowl, 18th century. Glass, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 40.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.9a-b.jpg)

American. Covered Sugar Bowl, 18th century. Glass, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 40.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.9a-b_bw.jpg)

American. Covered Sugar Bowl, 18th century. Glass, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 40.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.9a-b_acetate_bw.jpg)

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Do you know why it was thought that blue would repel ants and preserve sugar?

It was believed that the color itself was unpleasant for ants and would keep they from climbing on the glass. In the 18th century, sugar was an expensive luxury good, so people were interested in ways to keep pests away!

Covered Sugar Bowl

Decorative Arts and Design

At the time this sugar bowl was made, it was thought that blue would repel ants and preserve the sugar.

CULTURE American

MEDIUM Glass

DATES 18th century

DIMENSIONS 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts and Design

ACCESSION NUMBER 40.9a-b

CREDIT LINE Dick S. Ramsay Fund

EXHIBITIONS

Infinite Blue

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION American. Covered Sugar Bowl, 18th century. Glass, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 40.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.9a-b.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 40.9a-b.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.

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Download our app and ask your own questions during your visit. Here are some that others have asked.

Do you know why it was thought that blue would repel ants and preserve sugar?