The Steamer Acorn Cup Plate

The Sandwich Historical Society presents the third in its series of historical cup plates, The Steamer Acorn. This glass cup plate, similar to those originally produced by the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company, was made for the Society by the McDermott Glass Studio in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.

In protest of exorbitant freight rates charged by the railroad in the 1850’s, Deming Jarves, founder of the Boston & Sandwich Glass Co., threatened to build a steamboat to carry all the factory’s freight. “The acorn is not yet planted to grow the timber for such a vessel,” scoffed a railroad official. But Jarves built his steamer and named it Acorn. The vessel carried the company freight until the railroad reduced its rates. 

It was the custom in the early 19th century to pour hot tea from the cup, which had no handle, into a deep saucer. The cup was set aside for cooling, then the tea was drunk from the saucer. The cup was set aside on a small cup plate to prevent soiling the linen or marring the tabletop.