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Pearlware Tea Bowl and Saucer

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Description
This ceramic, earthenware tea bowl and saucer was manufactured in England between 1820 and 1840. The cobalt-blue flora decoration on the cup and bowl was an attempt at replicating the underglaze blue painting found on Chinese and Japanese china for British use and export. Due to the British connections with tea in the United States, tea drinking decreased in popularity during the 19th century. But, a home tea service remained a symbol of gentility and class—upper classes used pure silver sets, while lower classes used silver luster or ceramic sets to serve afternoon tea and entertain guests.
Credit Line
Clare Shenehon Boyd
ID Number
1980.0614.119ab
accession number
1980.0614
catalog number
1980.0614.119ab
Object Name
tea bowl and saucer
Physical Description
blue (saucer color)
monochrome, blue (component surface decoration color name)
flowers (overall description of decoration)
ceramic, earthenware, refined (saucer material)
ceramic, earthenware, refined (tea bowl material)
place made
United Kingdom: England
See more items in
Home and Community Life: Ceramics and Glass
American Enterprise
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_576893
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a3-d5a1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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