Cup Plate
Unknown Artist
1825–60
Medium
Lacy pressed glass
Dimensions
Dimensions unavailable
Classification
Cup plate
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Anne Du Pont Peyton, 1944
Accession Number
45.100.85
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the bustling households of mid-19th-century America, the humble cup plate served a practical yet elegant purpose: protecting fine table linens from drips and stains left by teacups. Dating from 1825–60, this example in lacy pressed glass exemplifies the arts of the era, crafted during a boom in American glassmaking spurred by the Industrial Revolution. like mold-pressing, pioneered around 1825 by innovators such as Deming Jarves at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company, allowed for intricate, lace-like patterns to be produced affordably, democratizing beauty for middle-class homes. The desig...