Plate c. 1829

This plate was made by the Staffordshire Potteries, though we don’t know when exactly. Its blue-and-white pattern depicts the seal of New York State. What does it mean for a British manufacturer to decorate dishware with American iconography? Transferware pottery like this became popular in the early 19th century. The rise of industrialization meant that pottery could be made more cheaply and faster than ever. This made it an affordable commodity for a rising middle class in both England and the United States. By decorating the plate with the New York State seal, the manufacturer catered to American tastes, and created a demand for their product across the Atlantic. The design and manufacture of decorative objects like this plate were part of larger cultural and economic exchanges. Historians study these objects alongside trade statistics, census records, and other data in order to better understand the dynamics of everyday life in past societies.