Saucer
Medium
Porcelain
Dimensions
Diam. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm)
Classification
Saucer
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1967
Accession Number
67.101
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate porcelain saucer, crafted by the Union Porcelain Works 1886, exemplifies rising sophistication of American ceramics during the Gilded Age Measuring just 5 5/16 inches in diameter, hails from New York's Greenpoint factory—one of the first U.S. producers of fine hard-paste porcelain, rival European imports. Founded in 1861, the firm supplied tableware for elite households and even the White House, marking a pivotal moment when American industry asserted itself in luxury goods. Adorned with plant motifs—a nod to the era's fascination with nature-inspired decoration—the saucer showc...
About the Artist
Union Porcelain Works · 1863–1922
Union Porcelain Works, established in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, in 1863, marked America's breakthrough in hard-paste porcelain production. Architect and builder Thomas Carll Smith (1815–1901) acquired the struggling factory from earlier owners like William Boch & Brothers after it faltered during the Civil War. In 1863, Smith traveled to Europe, studying porcelain techniques at the Manufactu...