Tableware (excluding silverware)
From scalloped-edged dinnerware to complex culinary art creations, tableware aim to display and serve dishes. Since the 17th century, the French have always been fond of culinary arts. There are many containers, like the “Pot à Oille”, a sort of tureen very popular during Louis XIV and Louis XV reigns, or like terrine dishes; these tableware can be made out of terra cotta or silver, sculpted or plain. The most common materials used for tableware are terra cotta, porcelain and earthenware from manufacturers like Samson; sterling silver or plated silver from silversmiths like Hermès or Odiot; gold or vermeil; plastic, glass and crystal from factories like Baccarat. Tastes vary with the different eras. For instance, great draftsmen like Jean Cotelle and Jean Bérain have inspired tableware designers during 17th and 18th centuries. A good example of surviving tableware is champagne bucket, available at Paul Bert Serpette.
