How do I hang a heavy charger?

Display chargers require specialist spring-loaded wall hangers with rubber-coated prongs to distribute the weight evenly across the rim. Ensure the fixing secured into the wall supports the specific weight of the ceramic. Avoid wire-only display methods that apply localized pressure to the earthenware body. Proper mounting protects the structural integrity of seventeenth and eighteenth-century pieces.

Were these plates used for dining?

Larger chargers and wall plates served primarily as decorative showpieces on sideboards or walls rather than functional tableware. Their size and delicate tin-glazed surfaces made them impractical for daily dining. Smaller plates occasionally saw service at table, but surviving examples with fine decoration were valued as display items. Their survival often depends on this decorative preservation role.

What causes crazing on these plates?

Crazing occurs when the glaze layer contracts at a different rate than the underlying ceramic body over long periods. This creates a network of fine micro-cracks across the surface of the piece. Age, environmental temperature shifts, and historical firing stresses contribute to this natural phenomenon in antique ceramics. It does not diminish the historical importance of early earthenware.