Bord van tin met geprofileerde rand c. 1800 - 1867

Curator: So, what catches your eye immediately about this object? Editor: Well, first, it’s profoundly simple, bordering on austere. The subdued gray tones, the perfect, almost machine-like circularity. I imagine this piece reflecting the muted light of a simple home, a silent witness to countless meals and stories. Curator: That's a beautiful way to frame it. Let’s dive in a little deeper. This is a "Bord van tin met geprofileerde rand," a pewter plate with a profiled edge. It dates from around 1800 to 1867. You can find it here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Ah, pewter! It explains that particular greyscale that I found so captivating! Did they stamp it? It has those little marks—what’s their story? Curator: Spot on. The plate bears several stamps. "GA" is engraved inside the raised rim and at the bottom center of the rim we can see a makers mark, although it is unclear in the photograph. Editor: Maker’s marks! They root an object like this to its origins, lending historical significance. To hold something like this feels like touching time, wouldn't you say? I can’t help but ponder what feasts or modest meals it might have held... Was it for daily use or reserved only for best? Curator: Absolutely, the questions multiply endlessly. The appeal of the metal—the shape and texture that’s immensely accessible—makes one contemplate utility, adornment, craft. Its surface isn't perfectly even or machine-made which lends some charm, something special that would've otherwise been lost in the making. Editor: It makes you appreciate the quiet moments, right? Sometimes I feel a yearning for things simple and unadorned, in my world, you know? I wonder if the maker understood what he was really making back then? Was he hoping his plates might enchant viewers in centuries to come? Curator: I suspect their focus was on honest workmanship, creating an object that serves and lasts. And here we are, centuries later, still discussing it. Editor: Absolutely! Maybe this shows us that it really doesn’t need so much to become enchanting! A profound reminder—that beauty is possible, and everywhere.