Back in the 1850's, the West was a bustling, populated area full of rugged and determined people from all over the world looking to start a new life. San Francisco was the center of this new world and one of the new industries that would begin there was the manufacturing of glass bottles. In 1858, Baker & Cutting became the first company to try their hand at producing glass. The most important types of containers in those days were for storing food, and Baker & Cutting decided to make that their priority. They began producing pickle jars and other types of food jars from their meager San Francisco glass house. In just a short time period, Baker left the company, apparently distraught over the inferior quality of glass and little profit that the company was making. Cutting continued by himself, although he discontinued producing his own glass and instead ordered his products outside of the state of California. Very few of the Baker & Cutting bottles have survived the ravages of time because of the poor quality of glass. Today, there is only one known intact example of their work with their name on it. With certainty we can say that there are other products that they made which are in circulation, but they are unmarked and, unless proven otherwise, trade hands as being the product of another glass house.
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