A silver salver makes a lovely receptacle for keys, cell phone, change and, perhaps even a place for all those pesky bills that seem to pile up. But especially this time of the year, it is nice to set on a table to hold all those holiday cards from friends and family -- even those annoying ones from senders gasconading about their "wonderful" accomplishments. Those can certainly be buried down at the bottom of the pile. Salvers can be used for arrangements of Christmas balls with sprigs of fir or bittersweet branches. Or even as a tray to display a miniature Christmas tree. When guests come over it is quite handy to set out a salver filled with sugared fruit, chocolates and cookies. What about in a powder room to fan out fancy monogrammed linen towels? Or on top of a dresser to hold those big chunky necklaces that never fit in a jewelry box. Truly, I am not good with these ideas. Suggestions are most welcome.
We know salvers today as a type of tray used for holding refreshments or hors d'oeuvres. I find their handy use has largely been forgotten. One can pick up a silver-plated salver for a song at an estate sale or on eBay today in this market.
The term salver was said to have been coined around 1661 in the second edition of Thomas Blount's Glossographia or, a dictionary interpreting the hard words of whatsoever language, now used in our refined English tongue. It defined around 11,000 unusual words, and was the largest English dictionary when it was first published in 1656.
Blount defined the salver as a new fashioned piece of "wrought plate broad and flat, with foot underneath, and is used in giving Beer or other liquid thing, to save the Carpit and Cloathes from drops."
We know salvers today as a type of tray used for holding refreshments or hors d'oeuvres. I find their handy use has largely been forgotten. One can pick up a silver-plated salver for a song at an estate sale or on eBay today in this market.
The term salver was said to have been coined around 1661 in the second edition of Thomas Blount's Glossographia or, a dictionary interpreting the hard words of whatsoever language, now used in our refined English tongue. It defined around 11,000 unusual words, and was the largest English dictionary when it was first published in 1656.
Blount defined the salver as a new fashioned piece of "wrought plate broad and flat, with foot underneath, and is used in giving Beer or other liquid thing, to save the Carpit and Cloathes from drops."
Primarily used in England, the earliest salvers in the seventeenth century were thin-gauge metal plates raised on a central foot. They were created for the table top presentation of porringers, caudle cups, wine glasses and deserts. They prevented drips from staining the fine linen covering the table. The best examples were elaborately decorated with chased or embossed images of acanthus leaves, flowers and fruit around the rim.
The idea for this handy domestic item spread to America where John Coney of Boston produced a few in the late 1600s. No doubt he had an eye for modishness. (Collection of the MET)By the end of the century, heavier metal was used. Sometimes the central foot was detachable so the salver could then be used as a tray. As salvers became more popular they were often presented as commemoratives from the royal court to a loyal servant for a job well done.
By the first quarter of the eighteenth century the central foot ceased to exist and was replaced by four little feet often in a bracket form, offering more balance that its predecessors. Silversmiths became creative and began making salvers in the shapes of squares, octagonals or even octafoils. Rims were molded or applied and the bowls were deep with convex or concave sides. Armorials were often engraved in the centre.
George I silver gilt salver by Augustin Courtauld, London, 1723. Fifteen-sided with a molded rim and raised on three pad feet. The center is engraved with a contemporary armorial within a Baroque cartouche. Sotheby's (NYC) October 2007 (sold: $139,000).
Late George I sterling salver, London, 1726, maker likely Jacob Foster. Pleasant floriform body engraved in the center with coat of arms. This time with six tapered feet. Estimated $600 - $800 and this lovely thing went for over $29,000. Skinner, April 2005. (The greasy fingerprints in the photo are bugging me.)
An interesting English sterling salver in triangular form with a rococo border and center armorial engraving by George Hindmarsh, 1737 – 1738. It has little scrolled feet. Pook & Pook April 2007.In 1734, an inventory was taken of the estate of an Abraham de Peyster of New York. He was a merchant and among the numerous articles he had in his possession were ten silver salvers. The fashion for using salvers in America was well established indeed. A shell and molded boarder was the height of fashion in the 1730s. At this time, there were not very many silversmiths in America making salvers as they were busy producing tankards, bowls, beakers, porringers, and the like. It was English silver that was most prevalent in colonial America. Merchants often instructed ship captains or sent agents to England to procure silver goodies.
By Joseph Crouch, 1759. Available at iFranks.Later in the century, salvers became handy to serve tea or coffee, protecting a tea table from spills and rings created by moisture. Many times tea tables were created to rest underneath a salver that fit the top perfectly.
During the Victorian times, it held letters, visiting cards, and such. Butlers would present the lady or man of the house these letters on a smaller form of a salver called waiters. Salvers have feet, waiters do not. Waiters are smaller in size only about generally less than 8 inches in diameter. Salvers can be around 15 inches in diameter.
Victorian sterling salver with a floral and bead border, engraved decoration and three cast ball and claw feet. Maker unknown but has the date and hallmarks for London 1899.
An Aesthetic Movement sterling salver marked Dominick & Haff, Newark and New York. 1855 - 1865. Nice hammered finish with eight applied copper and bronze plants, insects and lizard around rim. Raised on each corner by four eagle claw and ball feet. Cowan's Auctions, June 2004.
Japonisme. Circa 1900, by Whiting. Another nice hammered finish with a design of two sea turtles swimming amidst sea kelp. It has a short gallery no mention of what kind of feet. I am curious as I love this piece. Obviously, so did someone else as it fetched a price well over estimate of $500-$700. $14,950 at Cowan's in February 2007.
S. Kirk & Son sterling salver, round with repoussé floral border and plate with foliate wreath cartouche and circular decoration supported by four winged paw feet, 1903-1925. Brunk Auctions January, 2008.On one November day at Skinner in 2005, bidding on a particular sterling salver by the New York maker Myer Myers opened at $15,000. It was reported to have a robustly molded edge. The saleroom floor was full and eager, but a flurry of phone activity caused the demand for the piece to increase. One phone caller won the piece for $99,500.
Yes, the silver salver was used to serve superiors, but one today can most certainly get the "look" with a $25 to $50 twentieth century silver plated salver.