After the end of the War of 1812, English potters were eager to resume trade with the United States, producing wares that celebrated American heroes and victories. In the 1820s, pottery printed in blue with a range of American scenic and architectural views, as well as historical events and images of political and military figures became popular. Most of the images were copied from contemporary prints. A century later, American collectors, like Bayou Bend’s Miss Ima Hogg, eagerly sought the same pottery.

The cup plate, an unusual form, came into common use during the first half of the 19th century in the United States. Because tea and coffee were often served too hot, women would pour it into a saucer to cool off and then sip from the saucer. Used as coasters for cups, cup plates protected tablecloths and furniture from ring marks. The form is a unique American invention, as manners in England forbade the “slurping” of cooled drinks from saucers. Nonetheless, the English Staffordshire potteries had profited by producing large numbers for export.