William Bernstein created goblets and sculptural pieces early in his career that were inspired by the simple design and practicality of colonial American glass. He made these two mugs just a few years after his graduation from the Philadelphia College of Art, in Pennsylvania. Bernstein added blue ribbons of color to the clear molten glass, which mimic the playful zigzag pattern of the mugs’ handles. This set was featured in the Renwick Gallery’s 1975–76 exhibition Craft Multiples, which highlighted the work of production craftsmen.