Star-shaped sweetmeat sets with separate small dishes arranged around a central piece are rare survivors among early Deflt pottery. When new, they must have been both stylish and costly, involving extensive shaping and hand-painting of their Chinese-inspired floral decoration. As a centerpiece on a dining table, they would have held sweet and savory delicacies, such as preserves, relishes, and “sweetmeats” (candied fruit and nuts) to accompany more than one course. The Metal Pot, one of Delft’s leading potteries, was at its peak of creativity around the time this set was made.

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