DeWitt - ceramics, plateware, kitchen implements:

The DeWitt Museum is incredible if only for the sheer quantity of stuff it has out on display. Most museums put one or 2 items of a type out. The DeWitt fills their cases with lots of different but similar examples of various plateware and eating/cooking accoutrements.

For ease I have put the pictures into a grid. If you want to view any of them separately take the picture source to a separate page. Most of the pictures are close to full screen. Enjoy - I know we did.

In the pic to the left above is German Stoneware with the bellermaine jugs being 16th C and the salt stone glaze coming shortly after. More of the same in the pic to the left. In the one above are 3 bellernaine jugs that are LARGE. Will's hand is in the picture to give something to compare size. In the pic above are different types and jugs of the 17th C.

In the 3 pictures below are Slipware. This is a styling and glazing that is seen in the 17th C. and is really an extention of the 16th C glazing methods. Many of the designs are known today as Pennsyvannia Dutch.

This picture shows the molds from which pewter plates and spoons were cast.

The pictures to the right are the numerous mugs and cups displayed. They span the 16th and 17th C in style. What was fascinating was that so many of them were covered.

Below are 2 pictures of spoons. In the one immediately below the first 4 date to the end of the 16th C and beginning of the 17th C. In the one to its right the first one is 16th C and the next spoon early 17th C. The others are later.

In the picture to the far right below are port and claret bottles and glasses from the turn of the 18/19C. What fascinates me is how small the bottles were. Makes much more believeable the stories of a man finishing off a bottle of claret for dinner and a bottle of port after.

The bottom row are all bits from kitchens. Some items are familiar and some you can guess at, but some were just unbelieveable. The other fascinating thing was the level of specificity for some of the items.

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Photos and text copyright Robin Berry & William Ringer 2004.