Cup plate 1830 - 1835

This cup plate of unknown date was made of glass by an anonymous artist. Cup plates emerged in the 19th century to protect your surfaces from tea stains. Before handles were common, people poured tea into a saucer to cool. The used teacup was then placed on a small plate, the cup plate, before more tea was poured. The existence of cup plates speaks to a specific social situation and the growing consumer culture of the 19th century, particularly in America and England. Tea drinking was becoming a common social activity, and the rise of consumer goods allowed for specialized items like these to become commonplace in middle-class homes. You could say that this humble piece of glass embodies 19th-century social rituals and norms. By researching things like etiquette manuals, domestic records, and trade catalogs we can better understand the meanings and social functions of these objects.