Sauce Dish 1870 - 1890

This sauce dish was made by Challinor, Taylor and Company sometime between 1866 and 1891. It is a small, intimate object made of glass. The Victorian era, during which this dish was made, was a time of strict social codes that dictated the roles of men and women. Women were expected to manage the domestic sphere, including meals and food presentation. This sauce dish, therefore, speaks volumes about the gendered division of labor. It would have been women who not only selected and purchased items like this, but also placed the sauces within it. The beauty of the dish, its purple hues and delicate shape, adds a layer of complexity. Was it a sign of wealth, or an attempt to elevate the everyday life of the cook? It might be both, really. Objects such as these straddle the line between functional and aesthetic, embodying the social and cultural values of their time.