From a Filthy Factory
to a Fine
Victorian Tea Party

     Cup Plates appeared early in the 19th century... probably in the 1830s and made their way through the next couple of decades shielding fine linens from tea stains.  That was reportedly their primary function in the beginning anyway. The glass pressing machine had just been invented and the simpler the shape of the piece to be molded, the better.  Flat and round was simple.  Fancy design was apparently no problem. And Fancy they got! Its hard to imagine a design in which they were not made.
     The Story is.... & we're sticking to it until proven wrong.... that Victorians' cups didn't have handles & tea was brewed hot. So as not to burn their delicate fingers, they poured tea from their handless cups into their saucers. Alas, the pouring caused the tea to drip down the side of the cup & onto the table cloth.
     Enter the nice & dry 'cup plate' in which to set that drippy cup.
That is the end of our story... we don't even want to think about how they got the tea from their saucers to their mouths... Besides, this is about Cup Plates, not messes.
     We offer a few of these cute things for sale here.  The prices are for each but if you buy 5 or more, all you buy are 25% less.
    The Lee/Rose, L/R # in some listings is the agreed to, official designation by early glass pioneer Ruth Webb Lee and James H. Rose in their 445 page book, American Glass Cup Plates, copyright 1948 containing more information about Cup Plates than any person in their right mind would ever want to know.
To learn how to purchase these cup plates, click HERE.
To order, please designate by the first GREEN numbers in the listing.
003 - "Scotch Plaid Var." L/R #279 McKearin Pl. 188 #14  3 7/16"  This pattern is shown in the B/K Sandwich Glass. book #1119. $20 004 Eagle, FLINT; 2 7/8" Some edge chips; Eagle w/ 3 arrows in claws & 12 stars overhead “1831”.  See center HERE. 
$15		 005 - L/R #136  3 17/16" Scarce 
$75

006 Sandwich Star
McKearnin Pl 188 #13 MIT 28C
$20 		007 - Eastern, Early
McKearnin Pl. 183  #45
Very good condition. Prob. Sandwich **SOLD**		 008 - L/R #565 or 564 Plentiful 3 5/8"
Henry Clay. 
$25
015 - L/R #465 J. 3 1/2"
48 scallops; Hearts; Stippled 
$20		 016 Hearts 3 1/2” diam. L/R 467 - A; 3 5/8” diam.; NOT stippled center background; common MIT 35C  $25 019  Lee/Rose 425
Lacy Peacock Eye - this is actually a 4 1/4" diam. toddy plate. 1840's by Boston Sandwich.

020 - 024 Sunburst L/R 396 MIT 30C; 3 1/8” diam; McKearin Pl 188 #11
We have a set of 5 of these @ $20 each or all 5 for $60.
 025 Rose & Pansy
2 15/16". Stylized
flowers in center of
lacy dots L/R 149.
Midwest $35 		026 Sunburst & Fine Diamond Bands McKearin Pl 188; #10 MIT 54C; Lee Pl 44
L/R 390A
$15
027  Lee/Rose 151-A
Midwest; 3" diam; only chip is in the overfill on edge. $25		 028 Roman Rosette  L/R255-A; pic Barlow Kaiser #1110 & 1111.
Boston Sandwich $40		 029 Leaf border & center flower. 3 7/16" diam. L/R 396 or 344?; MIT 41C; McKearin Pl 188 #7  $20

030 Spirals/ Interlocking Circles 3 1/2" diam. L/R 313; McKearnin pl 188 #8; MIT 51C. $25

 031  Spiral design L/R 391 3 1/4" diam; Only edge mold roughness.
$25		 032   3" diam.; Probably Midwestern; L/R 507
$15


     Time out for a Lesson from Good Morals and Gentle Manners: For Schools and Families, by Alexander Murdoch Gow, Wilson, Hinkle & Company, 1873 (Google eBook)

"The cup and saucer.—It was the custom, formerly, to place a little dish at the side of the plate, for the purpose of receiving the cup when the tea or coffee was poured into the saucer. The liquid was poured out to facilitate its cooling, and was drank from the saucer. The cup-plate was a convenience to prevent the soiling of the table-cloth. Now, however, the cup-plates have gone out of use, and people are expected to drink from the cup, after removing the spoon to the saucer. It is considered very impolite to pour out the coffee or tea, and place the cup on the table cloth. When we drink, we should not gaze around the table."
039 Ben Franklin Ship  3 1/2" diam; R/L 619
Benjamin Franklin in center; Anchors, Eagles & Stars in rim; Scalloped.
$35 		040   Double hearts with sword & arrow through them in Center; L/R 440B 3 1/2" Dia.; Harps/Lyres
in edge; 24 scallops
$50 		041 Roman Rosette pattern 3 1/2" diam.
L/R 255A
3 scallops lightly tipped & 1 scallop missing.
$15
043  Eagle looking right.  L/R 680 Stars;
3 arrows in claws pointing to the left.
1 scallop missing &
2 adjacent scallops missing.  $25 		044 Bunker Hill       L/R645 A; 3 3/4" diam.; Bunker Hill "Cornerstone laid by Lafayette June 17, 1825, Finished by the Ladies 1841" In center "Bunker Hill Battle fought June 17, 1775 From the fair to the brave." Six stars on sides of monument. Edge chip. $20 045  Arches & Sunburst
3 1/2" diam.; L/R 328 Var. good shape; sunburst 
in center, gothic arches around periphery.
$15
046  Leaf edge center Flower. L/R 334  3 3/8"
12 leaves .  MIT 41C  McKearin Pl 188 #7
$20 		053 Shields 3 1/2"
10 sided
Wear from stacking.
$20 		055 L/R 403
Porteiux? 3" across
flat sides.
$20
056 & 057
056 has one tiny edge flake; no chips.  They are 3" in diameter, Lee/Rose #166B - Midwest & scarce.
$95 each
056   057
058
This 'milk glass' plate has the property of firey opalescence.
L/R 90; small top edge flake. 3 3/4" diam.
Scarce. $150
058   058
CP077  Victoria Regina  Has "VR" by her neck. 4 1/4" diam; L/R #817. Few edge chips. Crudely molded.   $30 each CP072 Stippled Stars
3" diam; 10 petals in center. 13 Stars; Stippled background; L/R #291
$35 		CP073 Star & Diamonds
3 1/2" diam. L/R #311; Mckearin pl 188 #6;
MIT 40C $25
CP074 Concentric Rings L/R #374 4" 13 circles.
**SOLD**		 CP075 Sunburst
L/R #396; 3 3/8" diam.
$20 		CP083  Hairpin
L/R #285. 12 large scallops, points between 1 point chipped; few scallops rough. $35
592 Berry aka Barberry
This is one of the very few non-flint patterns made in a cup plate.
McKee 1850s.  $115		 100 / 101 Greek Key Flint 3 1/4" diam. Boston Sandwich.
May also be a butter pat.
  We have 2 @ $35 each.
067 Fulton Steamboat
R/L #612a RARE
Midwest, Prob. Pittsburg
One very small chip on edge. 3 7/16". 1850s $145

We think these teeny little 16 petal flower Lacy pieces are either
toy plates or butter pats. They are, of course flint & lacy glass & rough.
But at 2 3/4" in diameter, they are smaller than the usual cup plates.
Their numbers are Lacy CP042, Lacy SP283, and Lacy SP284.
Best guess at age is 1830s or maybe 40s.
We did not pursue their Lee/Rose numbers.  They are $43 each.
These prices do not include the cost of shipping & insurance
& are subject to prior sales.
To learn how to buy from PatternGlass.com, click HERE.