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Finding the Right Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass for You
Your dining room table is a place where stories are shared and personalities shine — why not treat yourself and your guests to the finest antique and vintage glass, silver, ceramics and serveware for your meals?
Just like the people who sit around your table, your serveware has its own stories and will help you create new memories with your friends and loved ones. From ceramic pottery to glass vases, set your table with serving pieces that add even more personality, color and texture to your dining experience.
Invite serveware from around the world to join your table settings. For special occasions, dress up your plates with a striking Imari charger from 19th-century Japan or incorporate Richard Ginori’s Italian porcelain plates into your dining experience. Celebrate the English ritual of afternoon tea with a Japanese tea set and an antique Victorian kettle. No matter how big or small your dining area is, there is room for the stories of many cultures and varied histories, and there are plenty of ways to add pizzazz to your meals.
Add different textures and colors to your table with dinner plates and pitchers of ceramic and silver or a porcelain lidded tureen, a serving dish with side handles that is often used for soups. Although porcelain and ceramic are both made in a kiln, porcelain is made with more refined clay and is more durable than ceramic because it is denser. The latter is ideal for statement pieces — your tall mid-century modern ceramic vase is a guaranteed conversation starter. And while your earthenware or stoneware is maybe better suited to everyday lunches as opposed to the fine bone china you’ve reserved for a holiday meal, handcrafted studio pottery coffee mugs can still be a rich expression of your personal style.
“My motto is ‘Have fun with it,’” says author and celebrated hostess Stephanie Booth Shafran. “It’s yin and yang, high and low, Crate & Barrel with Christofle silver. I like to mix it up — sometimes in the dining room, sometimes on the kitchen banquette, sometimes in the loggia. It transports your guests and makes them feel more comfortable and relaxed.”
Introduce elegance at supper with silver, such as a platter from celebrated Massachusetts silversmith manufacturer Reed and Barton or a regal copper-finish flatware set designed by International Silver Company, another New England company that was incorporated in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1898. By then, Meriden had already earned the nickname “Silver City” for its position as a major hub of silver manufacturing.
At the bar, try a vintage wine cooler to keep bottles cool before serving or an Art Deco decanter and whiskey set for after-dinner drinks — there are many possibilities and no wrong answers for tableware, barware and serveware. Explore an expansive collection of antique and vintage glass, ceramics, silver and serveware today on 1stDibs.
- What is a snail fork?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021A snail fork has two long prongs, which help to eat snails directly from the shell. It is also called an "escargot fork.” Find vintage snail forks on 1stDibs.
- What is a fish fork?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021A fish fork is a 4-tined fork used with an individual fish knife in eating fish or seafood. On 1stDibs, you can find a variety of fish fork options to upgrade your kitchenware with a vintage appeal.
- What is a hay fork?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021A hay fork is a farm tool with two or three sharp metal prongs on a long handle. It is used for lifting straw or hay. A hay fork is typically made of steel, wrought iron, or a mixture of metals. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage hay fork decorative items for you to choose from.
- What is a carving fork used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021A carving fork is used to keep meat or other dishes secure when slicing them. It also aids in keeping hands away from knives' sharp blades. A carving fork usually has two long tines and a protrusion at the base of the handle where the thumb and forefinger can rest. Shop a range of antique and vintage carving forks on 1stDibs.
- What is a British toasting fork?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A British toasting fork is a fork with a long handle used to toast bread, cheese and other foods in front of the fire. It was typically crafted from metal, and one was even referenced in Shakespeare’s works. On 1stDibs, find an array of toasting forks.
- What is a pastry fork used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021A pastry fork is used for eating pastries and other desserts like pie or cake from a plate. This fork has three or four tines. Upgrade your kitchenware today — find a variety of antique, new and vintage serveware, tableware and more on 1stDibs.
- What is a serving fork used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021A serving fork is an important composite of formal tableware. Comprising two or four prongs and a long handle, a serving fork is used to serve food from a bowl or platter onto the person’s plate easily. Cado, Balance, Boston and Avance are a few of the well-known varieties of serving forks. Shop a range of antique and vintage serving forks on 1stDibs.
- What is a tuning fork watch?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021A tuning fork watch uses a tuning fork instead of a balance wheel and is driven by a solenoid-powered one-transistor oscillator circuit and no mechanical contacts. An attached pawl and index wheel turn the gear train. A collection of vintage tuning fork watches is available on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021A combination of fork, knife and spoon in one is called a splade, which is generally shaped like a spoon with four fork tines. The sides are either perforated or sharp and can be used as a knife to cut through food. Shop a range of antique and vintage splades on 1stDibs.
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