What are antique silver name holders?

These small decorative objects were placed on dining tables to hold place cards, name cards, or menu cards for guests during formal dinners. They combine miniature sculpture with a functional clip or slot, reflecting the elaborate table settings of the Victorian, Edwardian, and later twentieth-century periods.

How were these table accessories used?

Hosts placed them beside each setting or shared them between guests to indicate seating arrangements and present the evening's menu. They served both a practical purpose and a decorative function, often matching the theme of the meal or the host's interests.

How do I date a silver name holder?

You examine the hallmarks stamped on the silver, which reveal the assay office, the maker's mark, and a date letter corresponding to a specific year. The overall style, such as Art Nouveau curves or Art Deco geometry, also provides strong clues to the decade of manufacture.

Are these pieces usually found in sets?

They appear both as individual pieces and in matched pairs, quartets, or larger sets intended for full dining tables. Complete boxed sets with their original velvet or silk linings are particularly valued by collectors for their survival intact.

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Antique Silver Name Holders

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These antique silver name holders graced formal dining tables with miniature sculpture and practical elegance, helping guests find their seats.

19th century

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Pair of Madras Silver Menu Holders

From Digby Antiques (Wiltshire)

£140

FOR SALE

silver

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Antique Silver Name Holders

Pair of Madras Silver Menu Holders

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