Hi Mark, yep, I've seen plates ordered and paid for by dimension in store
records. Miller's 1991 HA article vol 25, no. 1 has twifflers as 8 or 7
inches and muffins as 6 or 5 inches, and plates 9-10 inches. I also saw an
interesting recent article about the increase in plate size over time
analyzed from paintings of the Last Supper.
regards,
suzanne

On Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 8:46 AM, Mark Branstner <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Hey Guys
>
> Hist Arch 101 question, so please bear with me ...
>
> Are there REALLY standardized dimensions (i.e., six inch vs. 7-inch or
> whatever) for dinnerware vessel forms, e.g., table plates, supper plates,
> twifflers, and muffins, etc.  Do these descriptors apply to 1820-1860
> assemblages? And can somebody give me a readily accessible reference to
> where this is laid out?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Mark
> --
>
> Mark C. Branstner, RPA
> Historic Archaeologist
>
> Illinois State Archaeological Survey
> Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability
> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
> 209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
> 23 East Stadium Drive
> Champaign, IL 61820
>
> Phone: 217.244.0892
> Fax: 217.244.7458
> Cell: 517.927.4556
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> "There's absolutely nothing wrong with Marxism, so long as you stop at "A
> Day At The Races." If you keep on with "At the Circus," etc., suddenly,
> Marxism doesn't seem all that interesting and you start to look for
> something a bit more competent, like Chaplinism or Stoogeism"  - Anonymous
>
> "I hope there's pudding" - Luna Lovegood (HP5)
>