For decades, dinner time in the USA meant one thing. Sitting around a kitchen table with your family (and perhaps a few friends), and enjoying a tasty meal together. Eating off a nice table, dinner set complete with a plate, fork, knife, spoon, glass(s), napkins, and a centerpiece, was a nightly ritual. Although it is a far rarer event these days, it\’s still a great way to enjoy some great conversation, and a nice way to welcome in the evening hours.
In this article we will go back in time and examine the history behind the humble dinner set. Where did it originate? What are the various types? What are some of the best examples available today? These are some of the things we will be discussing in this article.
The civilizations of the ancient world were characterized by the pottery that remained long after the civilization had passed. When archaeologists were digging around their various archaeological sites they would come across these items, and it\’s interesting to note that people often valued these items so much that they were buried with them.
Dinnerware is often referred to as \”China\”. Strange name don\’t you think? Ever wonder where it came from? There is a logical answer. Years ago dinnerware was made out of porcelain, and porcelain was invented by, you guessed it, the Chinese, over 1000 years ago. It was probably invented by the Tang Dynasty, but for some reason the emperors of the Song Dynasty seem to get the most credit for it. Around 1100 AD (about 1/2 way through the Song Dynasty), the art and skill of porcelain making was being circulated throughout the East. By the time 1400 AD had rolled around, this art form had migrated all the way to Europe.
Because the cost of importing fine dinnerware from China was so expensive, only the very rich could afford it. To remedy this situation, the Europeans started to create their own \”China\” factories. They did modify the process a bit, incorporating a different mixture of clays and other materials. The result was a \”softer China\”, one that had a duller or \”softer tone\” than those products that were being imported from China. Around 1700, in England, another form of \”China\” was starting to be developed. It was called \”Bone China\”, and it was made from a mixture of both porcelain clays and bone ash.
Today, most of our valuable and yes collectable dinnerware is made from pottery, not porcelain. It\’s sometimes called \”earthenware\”, and it was extremely popular during the decades of the 1950\’s and 1960\’s.
Stoneware is the answer, but what is the question? How about \”What\’s the most widely used pottery today\”? It seems to be everywhere if you just take a minute to look. From restaurants to stores, from hotels to homes, it\’s everywhere. It\’s created by heating the item at a very high temperature until it\’s completely solid, and can thereby hold liquids. The process for creating Stoneware, like that of porcelain, was invented in China about 3500 years ago. In the mid 1800\’s, in the Virginia and New England areas of the US, some of the most collectable pieces of Stoneware were developed.
We hope you liked this little history of the dinner set. We will be offering our TOP PICKS in future articles. If you feel that you can\’t wait, please visit us on our blog.
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