Cup plate facts for kids

Cup plates were small, round dishes used as coasters for tea cups. They became popular in the United States during the early 1800s.

Why People Used Cup Plates

Cup plates helped protect furniture from hot tea cups. Back then, tea was often very hot. People would pour their tea into a saucer to cool it down before drinking. Also, old tea cups usually didn't have handles. This meant you needed two hands to drink from them. So, people needed a place to put their cup down. Cup plates were placed around the parlor during tea parties for this reason.

How Cup Plates Were Made

Early cup plates were made by blowing glass into the right shape. They were about three to four inches wide and less than half an inch deep. Later, many cup plates were made using a method called pressed glass. These came in many different designs. They were first made from flint glass, then from soda glass.

English factories also made many blue and white cup plates. These were often sent to America. Cup plates became less popular after the Civil War.

Cup Plates in America

Many cup plates were made in America. They were a special invention for American tea parties. This is because in Europe, it was not polite to slurp tea from a saucer. So, Europeans didn't need cup plates as much. While some European factories made cup plates for America, most were made in the U.S.

Some cup plates were made to honor famous people. These included George Washington and Henry Harrison. These special plates are called "Historicals." They are very valuable today. Other cup plates, called "Conventionals," showed off the newest glass designs. They were often very colorful and eye-catching.