How do I hang a plate safely?

Use spring-loaded brass or coated wire hangers that grip the rim securely without scratching the ceramic body or glaze. Ensure the wall fixing engages directly with solid brick or a stud rather than hollow plaster alone.

Were these plates used for food?

Cabinet plates and chargers were made primarily for visual display in reception rooms and dining spaces. Their delicate enamels and gold leaf gilding mean they are unsuited to modern dining use.

How do I identify a delft charger?

Look for a tin-glazed earthenware body showing characteristic glaze pooling and small firing stilt marks on the reverse. Palette colours typically rely on cobalt blue, manganese purple and muted yellow pigments.

How do I date an Imari plate?

Examine the weight of the porcelain body, the density of the iron red pigment and the richness of the gilding. Meiji period and early twentieth-century examples display dense floral and brocade panels executed with crisp precision.