Lauffer Japan
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s Japanese Scandinavian Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1960s Japanese Scandinavian Modern Platters and Serveware
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Steel, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
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Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Mid-20th Century Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
Rosewood
Late 20th Century American Georgian Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
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Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
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Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Dining Room Tables
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2010s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
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2010s English Regency Dining Room Tables
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Antique 1860s French Napoleon III Mantel Clocks
Enamel, Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century French Belle Époque Floor Lamps
Malachite, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Early 1900s French Louis XIV Lanterns
Bronze
Finding the Right Tableware for You
While it isn’t always top of mind for some, antique and vintage tableware can enhance even the most informal meal. It has been an intimate part of how we’ve interacted with our food for millennia.
Tableware has played a basic but important role in everyday life. Ancient Egyptians used spoons (which are classified as flatware) made of ivory and wood, while Greeks and Romans, who gathered for banquets involving big meals and entertainment, ate with forks and knives. At the beginning of the 17th century, however, forks were still uncommon in American homes. Over time, tableware has thankfully evolved and today includes increasingly valuable implements.
Tableware refers to the tools people use to set the table, including serving pieces, dinner plates and more. It encompasses everything from the intricate and elaborate to the austere and functional, yet are all what industrial product designer Jasper Morrison might call “Super Normal” — anonymous objects that are too useful to be considered banal.
There are four general categories of tableware — serveware, dinnerware, drinkware and, lastly, flatware, which is commonly referred to as silverware or cutlery. Serveware includes serving bowls, platters, gravy boats, casserole pans and ladles. Most tableware is practical, but it can also be decorative. And decorative objects count as tableware too. Even though they don’t fit squarely into one of the four categories, vases, statues and floral arrangements are traditional centerpieces.
Drinkware appropriately refers to the vessels we use for our beverages — mugs, cups and glasses. There is a good deal of variety that falls under this broad term. For example, your cheerful home bar or mid-century modern bar cart might be outfitted with a full range of vintage barware, which might include pilsner glasses and tumblers. Specialty cocktails are often served in these custom glasses, but they’re still a type of drinkware.
Every meal should be special — even if you’re using earthenware or stoneware for a casual lunch — but perhaps you’re hosting a dinner party to mark a specific event. The right high-quality tableware can bring a touch of luxury to your cuisine. Young couples, for example, traditionally add “fine china,” or porcelain, to their wedding registry as a commemoration of their union and likely wouldn’t turn down exquisite silver made by Tiffany & Co. or Georg Jensen.
It’s important to remember, however, that when you’re setting the dining room table to have fun with it. Just as you might mix and match your dining chairs, don’t be afraid to mix new and old or high and low with your tableware. On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage and antique tableware to help elevate your meal as well as the mood and atmosphere of your entire dining room.