Pewter and Porcelain – Kitchen and Tableware for Every Occasion

Over the centuries, pots and other kitchenware have not typically been valued for their appearance but the traits that make them suitable for frying, boiling, whisking or stirring. Kitchens were traditionally the domain of women, and the tools and day-to-day work contained within their four walls was often left unseen.

In the early days, wooden bowls, earthenware vessels and iron pots were the most important items in any kitchen. The most common utensils also remained unchanged for centuries. Almost every household had knives, mortars and pestles, wooden whisks, rolling pins, spoons and ladles. The plates, bowls, cups and other drinking vessels that basic tableware consisted of were made of various materials depending on the wealth of the household.

This exhibition zeroes in on the materials used in kitchens across the many centuries before the Second World War and the rise of industrial mass production of household products. The aim is to give visitors an insight into the materials used in dishes and other household items in different eras, as well as taking a closer look at the items themselves. Wooden dishes were used in many households, while porcelain was long a luxury for the upper classes.