Cup plate 1800 - 1835

This cup plate of pressed glass was made by an anonymous maker, and its lack of inscription says something about how we value craft. Cup plates gained popularity in the 19th century alongside the fashion for drinking tea and coffee from saucers. Hot beverages were poured into saucers to cool, and these small plates served as a resting place for the cup. They speak to social rituals and dining etiquette of the era. Pressed glass production in America emerged as a burgeoning industry, democratizing access to decorative glassware. Its rise coincided with the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of the middle class. The intricate patterns pressed into the glass echo the aesthetic preferences of the time, reflecting broader trends in design and consumer culture. Historical societies, trade catalogs, and museum collections can reveal makers and workshops that have been lost to history. Researching further might tell us more about the lives of those who designed, produced, and used this everyday object.