How do I hang a heavy ceramic charger safely?

Most antique chargers require a coated wire spring hanger that grips the rim securely without causing friction damage to the glaze. Ensure the wall fixing is anchored directly into solid masonry or a timber stud rather than relying on standard plasterboard plugs. For exceptionally large or deep pieces, a custom wooden bracket or professional museum mount provides better weight distribution. Check the stability of the hanging wire periodically to prevent accidental slips.

Were these dishes originally meant for walls?

Few of these pieces were hung on walls when first made; most began life as table service items, serving platters, or sideboard display chargers. Pierced foot rings for suspension were sometimes added at the factory, but owners frequently drilled holes into the foot rim later to display them. As interior decoration tastes shifted toward cabinet displays and wall arrangements, dealers and collectors adapted these functional vessels for visual appreciation.

How do I tell eighteenth century Delft from nineteenth century copies?

Eighteenth-century Delftware typically exhibits a slightly irregular tin glaze with minor pitting, pooling, and subtle variations in the hand-painted cobalt blue tones. The clay body beneath is usually softer, heavier, and more porous than later industrial ceramics. Nineteenth-century revival pieces often feature a brighter, more uniform glaze, a harder ceramic body, and a rigid accuracy in the painted motifs that lacks the spontaneous hand of earlier makers.