Plate 1842 - 1856

This earthenware plate was made in England in the mid-19th century, likely by Joseph Heath. The plate is made from humble materials, but the printed design elevates it. These kinds of ceramics became popular because of industrialization, which enabled mass production and widespread distribution, making them affordable for the rising middle class. The transfer-printed decoration is particularly interesting. While it looks like a carefully hand-painted scene, it was actually applied using an engraved copper plate. Ink would have been applied to the plate, then transferred to a thin sheet of tissue paper, which was then pressed onto the ceramic surface. After firing, the paper burned away, leaving the image behind. This allowed for detailed and repeatable designs at a fraction of the cost of hand-painting. So, while this plate might seem like a simple, decorative object, it tells a much bigger story about the rise of consumer culture and the changing landscape of labor in the industrial age.