Cup plate
1830–40
Medium
Pressed glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 9.8 cm (3 7/8 in.)
Classification
plate (general, dish)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83108
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of the Americas collection, this unassuming cup plate from 1830–40 exemplifies everyday elegance in early 19th-century American life. Measuring just 9.8 cm in diameter, these small pressed glass dishes were designed to hold teacups or coffee cups between sips, catching drips and protecting fine table linens—a practical solution for the tea-loving households of the young republic. Crafted in pressed glass, a revolutionary technique pioneered in the United States around the 1820s, the plate was formed by pressing molten glass into detailed molds. T...