Georgian Dished Plate Table
A georgian dished plate table brings ingenious 18th-century dining mechanics into your home, offering ingenious surfaces for serving and supper.
Georgian Dished Plate Table
When you search for a georgian dished plate table, you are looking for versatile antique furnishings and serving pieces from the Georgian and 18th-century periods designed to hold dishes and plates securely. The pieces meeting this description on this page span several practical forms including mahogany supper tables and serving platters.
The material record for this search phrase encompasses mahogany, Old Sheffield plate, silver, ironstone, and ceramic. These items combine the domestic utility of the period with the refined aesthetic of Georgian and Regency design.
How they were made
The construction of these pieces relies on traditional cabinetmaking in mahogany for tables, alongside specialised metalworking techniques such as fusing silver to copper for Old Sheffield plate items. Potters utilised transfer printing and hand-painting on ironstone and ceramic bodies for the serving plates and platters.
Listings under this phrase combine mahogany furniture with Old Sheffield plate serving items and ceramic platters from the 18th and 19th centuries.
What varies in quality
Quality in these items is determined by the crispness of the original casting in plated wares and the structural integrity of the timber in tables. Pieces exhibiting well-preserved Old Sheffield plating without excessive copper bleed demonstrate superior original manufacture.
The refinement of the surface decoration, whether hand-painted ceramic patterns or finely chased silver plating, separates standard utilitarian items from higher-status examples. The survival of original mechanisms, such as snap-top fittings and dish supports, also dictates the desirability of the piece.
Roberts Cadman·John Davenport of Longport·Henry Wilkinson·Creswick·Don Pottery
The Georgian Dished Plate Table Glossary
- Old Sheffield plate
- A composite material made by fusing a thin sheet of silver to a thicker copper base, common in Georgian serving items. This technique creates a durable surface that shows characteristic copper undertones where wear occurs over centuries.
- Supper table
- A specialised mahogany table featuring pivoting or snap-top actions designed to hold individual serving dishes around a central well. These tables facilitated intimate dining without the constant attendance of servants.
- Dish cross
- An adjustable silver or plated framework placed on a table to elevate hot serving dishes and protect the surface underneath. They often feature sliding arms and spirit burners to keep food warm during meals.
- Meat dome
- A heavy plated or metal cover used to keep joints of meat warm on the serving table. They frequently bear maker marks and crests belonging to the original owners.
Georgian Dished Plate Table: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a georgian dished plate table?
It is an antique table from the Georgian period designed with depressions or fittings to hold serving plates and dishes securely during meals.
These pieces reflect the evolving dining habits of the 18th and 19th centuries, prioritising convenience and social dining.
How do I care for Old Sheffield plate?
Clean plated items gently with a soft cloth and non-abrasive silver cleaner to preserve the thin layer of silver over the copper base.
Avoid harsh scrubbing that can wear through the plating and expose the underlying metal.
How do I date a mahogany supper table?
Examine the timber grain, construction joints, and the mechanics of the snap-top mechanism for signs of 18th-century hand-tooling.
Original hardware and patination on the mahogany surface also help confirm the period of manufacture.
Were these tables used in formal dining?
They were typically utilised for supper parties and more informal gatherings where guests served themselves from a central table.
The dished tops and clever mechanisms prevented plates from sliding during the meal.