How do I hang a delft charger?

Wall chargers require specialised spring-loaded plate hangers with rubber-coated tips to protect the earthenware edge. Ensure the fixing in the wall secures firmly into masonry or a stud to support the weight of the tin-glazed piece safely.

Were these plates used for dining?

Large chargers and decorative plates served primarily for display on walls and sideboards during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Smaller plates occasionally functioned at table, but the soft earthenware body and tin glaze remain vulnerable to cutlery marks and chipping.

How do I date an old delft plate?

Examination of the earthenware body, glaze thickness, and footrim provides clues to the period of production. Seventeenth and eighteenth-century pieces often show characteristic glaze crazing and manual throwing rings. Brushwork styles and pigment types, such as manganese or cobalt, help narrow down the decade of manufacture.

What is the difference between delft and faience?

Delft specifically describes tin-glazed earthenware produced in the Netherlands and England, whereas faience is the broader continental European term for the same technique. Both share a tin-glazed body and painted decoration, but regional aesthetics and clay compositions vary.