Cup plate
1830–35
Medium
Pressed glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 8.7 cm (3 7/16 in.)
Classification
plate (general, dish)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83362
Art Historical Context
This delicate cup plate, crafted from pressed glass around 1830–35, exemplifies early American ingenuity in everyday household objects. Measuring just 3 7/16 inches in, it was designed to sit beneath a teacup, protecting wooden tables from heat, drips, and scratches during the popular tea-drinking rituals of the antebellum era. Produced by an unknown artisan or factory, its small scale and sturdy form made it a practical yet elegant addition to middle-class homes. The pressed glass technique, introduced in the United States in the 1820s, revolutionized glassmaking by allowing molds to create ...