Chafing Dish

Chafing dishes were common in the colonies and closely resemble their English counterparts. The interior plate held hot coals, and the chafing dish was probably fitted with a small tray that rested on the scroll supports and supported a kettle or pot. The decorative pierced work around the rim of the dish allowed the heat of the coals to warm the tray. The hoof foot is typical of New England chafing dishes of the period.