This large, enameled copper plate is decorated with a stylized rooster, fish and three star-like designs. The back is textured enamel with the mark “Karamu OH Hykes.”
Enamel has been used to decorate metal since medieval times, creating elaborate designs on copper, silver and other metals. Early pieces made in Europe, especially pieces used in religious services, were created in everchanging styles.
Enameled pieces for home use were rare before the 1800s. Around 1880, a few artists on the East Coast made plaques picturing nature to decorate a metal box or lid fo…
