Classification
ceramics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-710-h
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant plate, crafted around 1843 by William Ridgway & Co. of Staffordshire, England, represents the height of British ceramic production during the early Victorian era. The firm was part of the renowned Staffordshire potteries, which supplied affordable yet refined tableware to households across Britain and America. As a piece classified simply as ceramics, it likely reflects the era’s innovative manufacturing techniques that made decorative dishes accessible to a growing middle class. Staffordshire wares like this one played a key role in transatlantic trade, carrying English designs ...