Plate 1854 - 1857

This plate was made in the United States, around the mid-19th century, by the American Porcelain Manufacturing Company. Though seemingly simple, it speaks volumes about American industry, aesthetics, and social class during that time. Consider the ambition of an American company attempting to produce porcelain, a material historically associated with European and Asian luxury. The pierced decoration around the rim signals a desire for refinement, but the stark whiteness and relative simplicity of the design also point to a uniquely American sensibility, one that values practicality alongside elegance. To understand this plate fully, we need to explore the history of American manufacturing, the rise of a middle class with aspirations for displaying their wealth, and the complex relationship between American identity and European cultural traditions. The records of the American Porcelain Manufacturing Company, along with period advertisements and social histories, would shed further light on its cultural significance.