Cup plate
1830–40
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
83237
Art Historical Context
This charming cup plate, fashioned from pressed glass around 1830–1840, exemplifies everyday elegance in early American homes. Measuring a modest 3 5/16 inches (8.4 cm) in diameter, served a practical purpose: protecting tabletops from the heat and moisture of teacups placed atop saucers during tea time, a cherished social ritual of the era. The medium—pressed glass—marked a technological leap in 19th-century America. Invented in the 1820s, the pressing process allowed molten glass to be forced into detailed molds under pressure, enabling mass production of affordable, intricately patterned t...