READING TEA LEAVES: FRAGMENTS OF TEA LEAF PATTERN IRONSTONE

The variety of plates, platters, saucers and cups recovered from Level 2 of the Peel icehouse gives us an idea of patterned types used by the Peel household in the late ninteenth century. These types varied from decorated gilt-banded semi-porcelains, floral decorated decalcomania on semi-porcelain, Tea Leaf pattern ironstone, to plain whiteware sets.

The "tea leaf" motif ironstone cup and pitcher fragments are particularly interesting since evidence suggests this pattern was a favorite of farm and working-class people. This set may have been used by Peel's servants, or, perhaps, by the Peels themselves to project an identification with the "Jacksonian" "common man."

Ironstone plates, cups and saucers decorated with a copper-luster "tea leaf" motif were first introduced in 1850. For almost 50 years Tea Leaf-decorated ironstone was a favorite of consumers. Tea Leaf popularity was waning by 1880 and, with the exception of a brief resurgence in the 1960s, copper luster decorated white ironstone was no longer popular past the turn of the century. Because of the vessel form and context, this example is thought to date to the 1880s-1900.

Evidence suggests that Tea Leaf was a favorite of farm and working-class people. While some of the items in a Tea Leaf set (i.e., bone dishes, butter pats, etc.) mimic elements of more elaborate Victorian place settings, Tea Leaf is generally thought to have been "common folks" china.

The Tea Leaf patterned ironstone in situ in level 2 of the excavations.

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