Teapot, lidded sugar bowl, tea cup and saucer

1830-1860

Measurements

.1 teapot: 6 in x 9-1/4 in x 6 in (dia); .2 lidded sugar bowl: 5 in x 5-1/2 in (dia); .3a cup: 2-1/2 in x 4 in (dia); .3b saucer: 1-1/4 in x 5-1/2 in (dia)

Materials

Glazed and painted refined white earthenware

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, bequest of Ethel Frankau

Accession Number

1971.257

Condition Notes

All of the objects exhibit some staining.  The teapot has small chips in the mouth of the spout.  The sugar bowl has a small chip in the rim.

Provenance

These objects were bequeathed along with cups and saucers and a creamer from another, similar tea set (accession no. 1971.258).

Comments

This partial tea set includes a lidded tea pot and sugar bowl and a single, handle-less tea cup and deep saucer.  All of the objects were made in molds.  They are decorated in a manner popularly called "spongeware" or "spatterware."  Colored glaze, in this instance a purple or aubergine (eggplant), was applied to the white body with a sponge.  (The image of the teapot shows where the sponge hit the side of the handle where it attaches near the sponge-decorated band.)  A hand-painted blue, eight-pointed star decorates the sides and centers of the objects. The ceramic wares were then coated in a blue-tinted lead glaze that enhanced the white body, which manufacturers called "pearlware," to make it look more like expensive porcelains.  Sponge-decorated wares were popular among Pennsylvania-area consumers.