Pressed glass bust, about 5" high, of Michael J. Owens, 1859-1923; designer of first automatic bottle making machine. Press moulded glass was introduced in the 1830s. Press moulding originated in the United States and involved the use of a hand, and later steam, operated press to force hot glass into a mould made up of one or more parts.The relative cheapness of pressed glass greatly increased the availability of glassware. The earliest datable examples of pressed wares for the British buying public are the commemorative plates made from 1837 to 1841, celebrating the accession and coronation of Queen Victoria, her marriage to Albert and the birth of the Prince of Wales.