Two coasters

Art Historical Context

These delicate "Two Coasters," crafted around 1785 in Sheffield plate—a copper core thinly coated with silver—exemplify British metalwork from the late Georgian era. Produced in Sheffield, England, the epicenter of this innovative technique pioneered in the 1740s, plate offered an affordable alternative to costly solid silver, making elegant tableware accessible to the growing middle class. Each measures just 1⅝ × 4¾ inches, perfectly sized to protect surfaces from wine glasses or small bottles during genteel dinners. Adorned with floral motifs, these pieces reflect the neoclassical taste of the period, where nature-inspired designs symbolized refinement and harmony. The medium's hallmark is its seamless silver sheen, achieved through fusion plating, though edges often reveal the copper base over time—a telltale sign of authenticity. As functional yet decorative objects, they highlight the era's emphasis on hospitality and polished domestic life. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection (gift of Suzanne and Valerie de Peyster, 1997), these coasters offer a glimpse into 18th-century British craftsmanship and everyday luxury.