Cup plate
1826–28
Medium
Pressed glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 8.4 cm (3 5/16 in.)
Classification
plate (general, dish)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82672
Art Historical Context
This delicate cup plate, crafted from pressed glass around 1826–28, exemplifies everyday elegance in early 19th-century America. just 3 5/16 inches in, these small saucers were designed to cradle teacups, protecting wooden tables from heat and spills during social gatherings—a practical innovation for the growing middle class. Pressed glass, a revolutionary technique patented in the 1820s, allowed molten glass to be forced into metal molds, enabling mass production of intricate, affordable tableware. Previously, fine glass was hand-blown and elite; this method democratized beauty, flooding ho...