Cup plate
1830–35
Medium
Pressed glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 8.5 cm (3 5/16 in.)
Classification
plate (general, dish)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83043
Art Historical Context
This delicate cup plate, crafted in pressed glass around 1830–35, exemplifies everyday elegance from early 19th-century America. Measuring just 3 5/16 inches in diameter, these small saucers were designed to hold teacups between sips, protecting fine table linens from drips and stains—a practical innovation in the growing culture of tea drinking among middle-class households. The medium of pressed glass marked a revolutionary advance in American manufacturing. Invented in the 1820s, the technique involved pressing molten glass into molds under high pressure, enabling mass production of intric...