Historically, silverware was divided into table silver, for eating, and dressing silver for bedrooms and dressing rooms. The grandest form of the latter was the toilet service, typically of 10-30 pieces, often silver-gilt, which was especially a feature of the period from 1650 to about 1780.
Elites in most ancient cultures preferred to eat off precious metals ("plate") at the table; China and Japan were two major exceptions, using lacquerware and later fine pottery, especially porcelain. In Europe the elites dined off metal, usually silver for the rich and pewter or latten for the middling classes, from the ancient Greeks and Romans until the 18th century. Another alternative was the trencher, a large flat piece of either bread or wood. In the Middle Ages this was a common way of serving food, the bread also being eaten; even in elite dining it was not fully replaced in France until the 1650s.[1]
Possession of silverware obviously depends on individual wealth; the greater the means, the higher was the quality of tableware that was owned and the more numerous its pieces. The materials used were often controlled by sumptuary laws. In the late Middle Ages and for much of the Early Modern period much of a great person's disposable assets were often in plate, and what was not in use for a given meal was often displayed on a dressoir de parement or buffet (indeed, similar to a large Welsh dresser) in the dining hall. At the wedding of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and Isabella of Portugal in 1429, there was a dresser 20 feet long on either side of the room, each with five rows of plate.[2] Inventories of King Charles V of France (r. 1364–1380) record that he had 2,500 pieces of plate.[3] Plate was often melted down to finance wars or building, and hardly any of the enormous quantities recorded in the later Middle Ages survives. The French Royal Gold Cup now in the British Museum, in solid gold and decorated with enamel and pearls, is one of few exceptions.
MaintenanceEdit
Silver requires a good deal of care, as it tarnishes and must be hand polished, since careless or machine polishing ruins the patina and can completely erode the silver layer in Sheffield plate.
A silverman or silver butler has expertise and professional knowledge of the management, secure storage, use, and cleaning of all silverware, associated tableware, and other paraphernalia for use at military and other special functions. This expertise covers the maintenance, cleaning, proper use, and presentation of these assets to create aesthetically correct layouts for effective ambience at such splendid occasions. The role of silverman tends now to be restricted to some private houses and large organizations, in particular the military.
Sterling silver candlestick, One of a pair of candlesticks made for the 5th Earl of Bath's widow. Marks for silversmith Robert Cooper, London, and 1679. They bear the arms of the widow of the 5th Earl of Bath.
Mark of Robert Cooper
De Lamerie
Pair of salts, salver and cream jug bearing arms of family of Beachcroft. (Arms granted 12 Nov. 1717: Bendy of siz argent and gules three stags heads cabossed or. Crest: A beech tree proper behind six park pales argent.)
Seven salvers (c. 1735–1750). (Arms of Bisse (granted Ireland 25 May 1637): Sable three escalops in pale argent a canton ermine and a crescent for difference or. Crest: On a mount vert two snakes or, interlaced respecting each other.)
A c. 1770 hot-water jug, Dublin
Paul Storr
GS & WF canteen laid out
Coburg pattern canteen
Detail of a teapot
Detail of GS & WF forks. George Smith III and William Fearn
^Strong, 96-98. Strong says 1429, the year the proxy wedding took place. The bride arrived by sea in late 1429, but the formal marriage ceremony was not until January 1430.
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Household silver or silverware the silver the plate or silver service includes tableware cutlery and other household items made of sterling silver silver gilt Britannia silver or Sheffield plate silver Silver is sometimes bought in sets or combined to form sets such as a set of silver candlesticks or a silver tea set German toilet service of 1743 45 Metropolitan Museum of Art The set is mostly in silver gilt but includes two Japanese export porcelain Imari ware teacups and saucers For a lady s dressing table including items for snacks and hot drinks Historically silverware was divided into table silver for eating and dressing silver for bedrooms and dressing rooms The grandest form of the latter was the toilet service typically of 10 30 pieces often silver gilt which was especially a feature of the period from 1650 to about 1780 Contents 1 History 2 Maintenance 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksHistory Edit nbsp Late Roman spoons Hoxne Hoard EnglandElites in most ancient cultures preferred to eat off precious metals plate at the table China and Japan were two major exceptions using lacquerware and later fine pottery especially porcelain In Europe the elites dined off metal usually silver for the rich and pewter or latten for the middling classes from the ancient Greeks and Romans until the 18th century Another alternative was the trencher a large flat piece of either bread or wood In the Middle Ages this was a common way of serving food the bread also being eaten even in elite dining it was not fully replaced in France until the 1650s 1 nbsp The Vyborgian coffee pot from the 18th century on display in the National Museum of FinlandPossession of silverware obviously depends on individual wealth the greater the means the higher was the quality of tableware that was owned and the more numerous its pieces The materials used were often controlled by sumptuary laws In the late Middle Ages and for much of the Early Modern period much of a great person s disposable assets were often in plate and what was not in use for a given meal was often displayed on a dressoir de parement or buffet indeed similar to a large Welsh dresser in the dining hall At the wedding of Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy and Isabella of Portugal in 1429 there was a dresser 20 feet long on either side of the room each with five rows of plate 2 Inventories of King Charles V of France r 1364 1380 record that he had 2 500 pieces of plate 3 Plate was often melted down to finance wars or building and hardly any of the enormous quantities recorded in the later Middle Ages survives The French Royal Gold Cup now in the British Museum in solid gold and decorated with enamel and pearls is one of few exceptions Maintenance EditSilver requires a good deal of care as it tarnishes and must be hand polished since careless or machine polishing ruins the patina and can completely erode the silver layer in Sheffield plate A silverman or silver butler has expertise and professional knowledge of the management secure storage use and cleaning of all silverware associated tableware and other paraphernalia for use at military and other special functions This expertise covers the maintenance cleaning proper use and presentation of these assets to create aesthetically correct layouts for effective ambience at such splendid occasions The role of silverman tends now to be restricted to some private houses and large organizations in particular the military One advantage of silverware is that growth of bacteria is inhibited by the oligodynamic effect nbsp Sterling silver candlestick One of a pair of candlesticks made for the 5th Earl of Bath s widow Marks for silversmith Robert Cooper London and 1679 They bear the arms of the widow of the 5th Earl of Bath nbsp nbsp Mark of Robert Cooper nbsp De Lamerie nbsp Pair of salts salver and cream jug bearing arms of family of Beachcroft Arms granted 12 Nov 1717 Bendy of siz argent and gules three stags heads cabossed or Crest A beech tree proper behind six park pales argent nbsp Seven salvers c 1735 1750 Arms of Bisse granted Ireland 25 May 1637 Sable three escalops in pale argent a canton ermine and a crescent for difference or Crest On a mount vert two snakes or interlaced respecting each other nbsp A c 1770 hot water jug Dublin nbsp Paul Storr nbsp GS amp WF canteen laid out nbsp Coburg pattern canteen nbsp Detail of a teapot nbsp Detail of GS amp WF forks George Smith III and William FearnSee also EditThe Armada Service Cutlery Francis 1st silverware pattern Germain Service Gorham Manufacturing Company Holloware International Silver Company Reed amp Barton Tiffany amp Co Wallace Silversmiths Inc Notes Edit Strong 226 Strong 96 98 Strong says 1429 the year the proxy wedding took place The bride arrived by sea in late 1429 but the formal marriage ceremony was not until January 1430 Strong 97References EditStrong Roy Feast A History of Grand Eating 2002 Jonathan Cape ISBN 0224061380External links Edit Plate Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed 1911 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Household silver amp oldid 1040049067, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
