Were these plates used for eating?

Most large chargers and decorated dishes served decorative display purposes on walls or sideboards during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Smaller domestic plates saw occasional table use, though soft tin glazes scratched easily. Today, collectors treat these ceramics primarily as decorative wall or cabinet pieces due to the fragile nature of historic earthenware bodies and historic glazes.

How do I identify tin-glazed earthenware?

Tin-glazed ceramics feature an opaque white surface created by adding tin oxide to the glaze mixture. This layer covers the buff or pinkish earthenware body beneath. Examining the footrim or unglazed areas reveals the granular clay fabric typical of eighteenth-century and earlier European pottery.

What is the difference between delft and faience?

Delft specifically describes tin-glazed earthenware produced in the Netherlands and England, while faience generally refers to the continental European equivalent made in France, Spain, and other regions. Both terms describe the same fundamental technique of painting pigments over an opaque white tin glaze before firing.

How should I display a charger?

Chargers require secure wall hangers designed specifically for heavy ceramic plates, or sturdy plate stands if placed on a flat surface. Avoid direct sunlight and areas with high humidity. Protecting the edges from impact ensures the soft tin glaze remains stable over decades of home display.

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White Glazed Ceramic Plate

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These white glazed ceramic plate examples range from seventeenth-century chargers to nineteenth-century earthenware, offering historic tin-glazed surfaces for daily display.