How were these chargers displayed?

Households placed these large plates on sideboards, mantelpieces, or hung them on walls using specialist wire hangers. Their generous diameters made them ideal for visual impact in eighteenth-century rooms. They served as decorative art rather than everyday tableware, protecting the fragile tin glaze from the wear of cutlery.

What is polychrome delftware?

Polychrome delftware refers to tin-glazed earthenware decorated with several colours instead of the traditional blue and white pigment. Artisans used combinations of yellow, green, red, and blue to render floral and figurative scenes. This palette required multiple pigment applications before the final kiln firing to bond the colours permanently to the glaze.

How do you date an eighteenth century charger?

Dating relies on stylistic shifts in painting, tin glaze composition, and recorded workshop practices from locations like Bristol or Lambeth. Earlier pieces from the early seventeen hundreds often feature simpler motifs, while later examples incorporate distinct floral or Chinoiserie elements. Documented pieces with specific names or dates inscribed on the surface provide firm benchmarks for comparison.

Can you use them for serving food?

Historic earthenware and tin glaze are too fragile and porous for modern culinary use. The lead and tin content in the glaze also makes them unsuitable for contact with acidic foods. Collectors keep these chargers strictly for display, preserving the delicate pigments and ceramic bodies from further damage.