Plate

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This ceramic plate was created around 1843 by William Ridgway & Co., a well-known pottery firm based in Staffordshire, England. Active between 1830 and 1848, the company operated during a transformative period when Staffordshire potteries supplied much of the world with affordable, well-made tableware. The region’s rich clay deposits and skilled workforce helped turn ceramics into a major British export industry, and Ridgway’s products often reached American homes through thriving transatlantic trade. Now part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection through the bequest of Erskine Hewitt, the plate reflects the growing taste for refined yet practical household goods in the mid-nineteenth century. Although specific details about its decoration or exact production method are still under study, the piece offers a tangible connection to the industrial craftsmanship that made beautiful ceramics accessible beyond the wealthy elite. Its presence in an American museum underscores the enduring cultural exchange between British makers and American collectors.