Delftware Charger (Archaeological Find)

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English delftware plate from the turn of the 17th-18th century, made from red earthenware with a tin-glaze overlaid, and a blue floral leaf border surrounding flowers under an umbrella-like tree.

Delftware on display in a special corner cabinet of a sitting room, where people would gather to visit. The distinctive manner of display indicates the delftware imbued a special importance.

First floor plan shows the location of the sitting room, near the front door, where guests could visit and likely notice the delftware distinctively on display in the corner cabinet.

Title:

Delftware Charger

Subject:

Who would think that a sherd excavated from Harvard Yard could reveal a legacy of England’s social structure renewing itself in Colonial America? Upon initial examination, the white tin-glaze with artistic blue design indicates this redware sherd is hardly ordinary. This white surface painted with a nature design and leaf hatching was intended to mimic Chinese porcelain, which was highly desired by Englishmen (Jefferson Patterson 2017; Hume 1969, 111). This more expensive glazing and design process, known as delftware, was frequently produced in England during the 17th and 18th centuries (Jefferson Patterson 2017). In the later 1600s, Americans sought more refined trade goods from England, including delftware (Deetz 1977, 79). The role of delftware in Colonial culture reflected its origins from the English culture, being revered as an item of sophisticated social distinction (Deetz 1977, 76). As such, delftware was often on display, similar to the pictures of the corner cupboard in a sitting room, reserved only for use at special occasions or hopefully admired by visiting guests (Deetz 1977, 83). Based on the flat shape of this sherd, and foot ring bump on the backside, possibly this sherd was from a plate or platter, such as the delftware plate picture, and likely acquired in late 17th century trade with England. This display of status would have been important to Harvard in the early 1700s to coincide with a revitalization in leadership and enrollment from its faltering years in the latter 1600s (Morison 1986, 54, 56, and 59).

Source:

Deetz, James. In Small Things Forgotten. New York: Anchor Books Publishing, 1977.
General Artemas Ward House Museum. 2017. “First Floor Plan-Sitting Room: Corner Cupboard.” General Artemas Ward House Museum website. Accessed March 25, 2017. http://wardhouse.harvard.edu/galleries/sitting-room.
General Artemas Ward House Museum. 2017a. “First Floor Plan.” General Artemas Ward House Museum website. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://wardhouse.harvard.edu/virtual-tour.
Historic New England. 2017. “Collections Access Database-Delftware Plate, Accession Number 1963.332.” Historic New England website. Accessed March 25, 2017. https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/40329/ .
Hume, Ivor N. A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1969.
Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum. 2017. “Tin-glazed Colonial Ceramics.” Diagnostic Artifacts in Maryland website. Accessed March 25, 2017. http://www.jefpat.org/diagnostic/ColonialCeramics/Colonial%20Ware%20Descriptions/Tin-glazed.html .
Morison, Samuel E. Three Centuries of Harvard, 1636-1936. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1986.

Object Name:

Delftware Charger

Peabody Number:

2016.29.660

Intrasite:

H942 Level 4

Depth:

70-80cm

Class 1:

Ceramic

Class 2:

Earthenware

Class 3:

Tin-glazed/Delftware

Quantity:

Height (cm):

4cm

Width (cm):

3cm

Depth/Thickness (cm):

1cm

Collection:

2017 Assignment 2

Tags:

17, 18, ceramic