plate & cup

Jessie Tait 1928 - 2010

Summary

White earthenware body. In addition to the three main sections into which the plate is divided, there are also three subsections: the one in the centre is possibly for salt and pepper. These subsections are coated in turquoise glaze, as is the exterior of the cup, which has a rounded square base to fit into a similarly shaped recess in the plate. Pattern printed in black outline with hand painted yellow and turquoise highlights. Pattern is composed of freeform organic double-outlined squares, various sizes, some overlapping, some detached. Overall shape of the plate is quartic, ie. a rounded square. Pattern name Cuban Fantasy.

Display Label

Social Ritual Afternoon tea, or dinner with friends and family, going out for a coffee, or having a drink in the pub are just a few of the social rituals enjoyed by many. Some rituals have survived through the centuries, or been adapted to suit our ever-changing society, whilst others have been lost in the mists of time. Different cultures have their own social rituals. Although sometimes seen as strange and exotic, they often inspire other countries to adopt them. Food, drink and the rituals associated with them, once new, expensive or for the elite, are now taken for granted and part of everyday life. The objects on display reflect some of those rituals; where they came from and how they have changed, those that have survived and those that were lost. They each tell a story about a time and a place, the people from the past and society today.