This lovely little piece appears to have come from a hand painted charger- a wide but fairly shallow bowl- and probably dates to the late 17th to early 18th century. Tin-glazed ceramics became very popular in New England in the late 17th century and then declined in popularity as refined earthenwares became more common. Throughout their history they were seen as a less expensive substitute to porcelain and may have been decorative items hung on walls or set on mantles.