Plates

Whether made from wood, metal, ceramic, glass, plastic, or paper, the plate has mirrored changing lifestyles over America’s four hundred years. Behind this common artifact is a rich history that includes industrial espionage, economic policy, and social competition.

The earliest colonists had a surprisingly diverse array of plates, at least if they were wealthy. Spanish grandees in Florida brought in majolica, which has also been found in the Jamestown and Plymouth settlements. The earliest Chinese porcelain in America seems to have entered California through Spanish settlements.