Plate, Dessert
Dessert plate inscribed "Shakers Mt. Lebanon NY"
1886-1887
Description
Small porcelain plate. Around the interior rim of the plate are two thin black lines and a light-green stripe 5/16" wide. Underneath the border is light-green transfer-printed text, in all caps, which reads "SHAKERS MT. LEBANON N.Y." echoing the curve of the plate. The font of the text has a white outline giving the letters a three-dimensional quality when viewed up close. The plate has a recessed center. The plate is decorated with two hand-painted floral designs each with a brown branch, a green stem with dual-green leaves and flowers. One floral design has three pink flowers, two with five petals around a yellow floral disc and a third flower with a single large petal. The other floral decoration consists of five blue flowers three small ones with two petals each and two large flowers with petals around yellow floral discs.
Notes
On October 12, 1886 Benjamin Gates, Cornelia French, and Mary Hazard of the Church family traveled to New York City to order plates from Union Porcelain Works. On February 20, 1887 a note in Anna Dodgsons journal refers to new plates with "Shaker & c". These are the only dishes marked with a community name.
New York Mount Lebanon Church Family
