18th century leaf-design “Sweetmeat” or “Pickle Dish”, as in museum (ON HOLD)

This is a beautiful 18^th century “Sweetmeat” or “Pickle Dish”. It measures 5 ½” x 5 ¼” and is 1 ½” deep. It is in the shape of a veined leaf with a cobalt blue color with a scalloped edge decoration, and in the center a tranquil setting of two people, one standing and one seated.

In the 1800s, "sweetmeat" referred to any sweet confectionery, not meat, but rather a sweet treat like candied fruit, sugar-covered nuts, or other candies. The term is derived from the Old English word "mete" for food, indicating a sweet "food". It was a common term for sweets in that era, and the phrase still appears in old-fashioned recipe titles today.

These small dishes were also popular for serving cut pickles as a side dish. In the Colonial Williamsburg Museum, there are several examples of these dishes (see pictures). Shards of dishes and pottery are a common find at Revolutionary War sites, indicative of their use at that time (see pictures).

This dish is not only beautiful, but in excellent condition with virtually no flaws or cracks. It is very difficult to find one in this condition.