Dish cross 1773 - 1774

This dish cross was crafted in London by William Plummer in the late 18th century out of silver. Plummer was a specialist in domestic silverware, producing items for a burgeoning middle class that was eager to emulate aristocratic taste. The form of the dish cross, with its ornate feet and adjustable arms, speaks to a culture of elaborate dining rituals. It reflects a society increasingly concerned with etiquette and display, with the rising wealth of the merchant classes fuelling the demand for luxury goods. Studying objects like these through probate records, trade directories, and pattern books, allows us to understand the complex interplay of social aspiration, economic growth, and artistic production in 18th-century Britain. This object offers insight into the social conditions that shaped artistic production and consumption.