Saucer
Porcelain saucer inscribed "Shakers Mt. Lebanon N.Y."
12/1886
Description
Circular white porcelain saucer. The interior rim of the saucer is decorated with two thin black lines with a light-green stripe 1/4" wide in between them. Underneath this border echoing the curve of the saucer is light-green transfer-printed text, in all caps, which reads "SHAKERS MT. LEBANON N.Y.". The font of the text has white outlines to give the letters a three-dimensional quality. Below "N.Y." is naturalistic hand-painted decoration of a wheat stalk approximately 3 5/8" long. In addition there is another naturalistic hand-painted decoration of a branch with leaves and red berries 1 5/8" long. The glaze of the saucer which, though smooth to the touch, has a stippled, more matte, appearance.
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
