Featured Amount $17.99—Pfaltzgraff Autumn Berry Small Oval Platter, 10.5 Inches, Cream.

The entire system is built upon layers of unnecessary, compelling tradition. — Pfaltzgraff Autumn Berry Small Oval Platter, 10.5 inches, Cream — $17.99
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The Autumn Berry design itself, surviving multiple changes in ownership, serves as a silent ceramic testament to the enduring American appetite for harvest aesthetics. The cream color is not merely aesthetic but a function of the specific earthenware and glaze formula employed for high-volume durability—a far cry from the delicate bone china of European courts. It possesses a satisfying heft; a utility that belies the delicate painting. The cruel irony of such pieces is that while they are designed for endless use, their commercial value often hinges on their remaining untouched, stacked like forgotten shields in a curio cabinet. This specific platter, though small, represents the final shift away from localized Pennsylvania clay sources, a poignant footnote in manufacturing history.

Vessels of Contradiction

Across the grand, oak-carved tables of the 15th century, the *nef* reigned supreme, a baffling centerpiece by modern standards. This extravagant silver-wrought ship, often three feet long, had no purpose in holding the main course; its sole charge was the safeguarding of implements and fine salt—the most vulnerable elements of the feast. It speaks volumes of the era's pervasive paranoia that the most elaborate object on the table was essentially an armored spice rack, defending the host against subtle poison. It is a terrifying, beautiful work of art designed purely by distrust. The historical impulse to create spectacular, yet useless, dining apparatus persists, often confusing modern restorers who struggle to define the function of pieces labeled merely as ‘ornamental.’

The sheer persistence of the fish knife is another such bewilderment. Why create a specialized utensil—duller than a butter knife, yet uniquely shaped—for a task a simple dinner fork handles with ease? Yet, in certain circles, its absence is a glaring omission, a ritualistic demand for a tool only marginally better than none at all. The entire system is built upon layers of unnecessary, compelling tradition.

Artifact Deep Dive: The Autumn Berry Pattern

The Autumn Berry motif, widely recognized by its clusters of ruddy berries and green foliage, carries a subtle visual weight. It is not merely a seasonal depiction, but a highly effective camouflage for minor glaze imperfections inherent in the firing of durable stoneware.

• Manufacturing Oddity Unlike porcelain, the stoneware body requires a slightly thicker glaze layer to achieve the deep, reflective sheen. This heavier application lends the color density but also makes the edges more susceptible to thermal shock if exposed to sudden shifts in temperature.
• Design Continuity The original hand-painting philosophy for this pattern aimed for variation—no two clusters of berries were intended to be identical—mimicking natural chaos.
• Current Custodians The intellectual property and continuing production of this iconic pattern are managed under the umbrella of Lifetime Brands, ensuring the pattern's continuity while adjusting the foundational materials for contemporary safety and durability standards.

The true aesthetic power lies in the dissonance: a highly formal setting requiring absolute precision, yet often featuring pieces born from pragmatic, volume-driven compromises. The host, perhaps current owner David N. (a noted collector focused on 19th-century American ceramics), views the collection not just as dinnerware, but as physical evidence of the tension between utility and grandeur. The small oval platter is the perfect shape for a modest presentation of cheese, a solitary piece of fruit, demanding attention precisely because it is restrained. It speaks of a feast to come, or perhaps a feast long since concluded. The quiet anticipation is palpable.

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Pfaltzgraff Autumn Berry Small Oval Platter, 10.5 inches, Cream Price, $17.99 $ 17 . 99 See options

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