Soup Plate
1789-1790 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The deep central well on this silver plate tells us that it was used for soup. The actual design of plates did not change greatly so it is the border decoration that helps to date them. This plate has the type of border popular during the fashion for the Neo-classical style.
Before about 1550, people ate food from either from pieces of bread or slabs of wood known as ‘trenchers’. After 1550 the nobility in particular began increasingly to use silver plates. However, few plates survive even from the period 1600-1650 because so much silver was melted down during the English Civil War (1642-1649).
Early plates tended to be very plain. By about the 1720s the Rococo style launched the fashion for serpentine borders, either moulded or decorated with shell work. By 1760 the Neo-classical style began to replace the Rococo and decoration such as gadrooned borders returned to favour.
Before about 1550, people ate food from either from pieces of bread or slabs of wood known as ‘trenchers’. After 1550 the nobility in particular began increasingly to use silver plates. However, few plates survive even from the period 1600-1650 because so much silver was melted down during the English Civil War (1642-1649).
Early plates tended to be very plain. By about the 1720s the Rococo style launched the fashion for serpentine borders, either moulded or decorated with shell work. By 1760 the Neo-classical style began to replace the Rococo and decoration such as gadrooned borders returned to favour.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver |
| Brief description | Soup plate, silver, London hallmarks for 1789-90, mark of John Wakelin and William Taylor. |
| Physical description | Soup plate, one of a pair. Silver, round with shaped, gadrooned border |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Claude D. Rotch |
| Object history | Bequest - Rotch Acquisition RF: 61 / 3157 |
| Summary | The deep central well on this silver plate tells us that it was used for soup. The actual design of plates did not change greatly so it is the border decoration that helps to date them. This plate has the type of border popular during the fashion for the Neo-classical style. Before about 1550, people ate food from either from pieces of bread or slabs of wood known as ‘trenchers’. After 1550 the nobility in particular began increasingly to use silver plates. However, few plates survive even from the period 1600-1650 because so much silver was melted down during the English Civil War (1642-1649). Early plates tended to be very plain. By about the 1720s the Rococo style launched the fashion for serpentine borders, either moulded or decorated with shell work. By 1760 the Neo-classical style began to replace the Rococo and decoration such as gadrooned borders returned to favour. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.330-1962 |
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| Record created | September 10, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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