Ice Chest
Antique 18th Century Asian Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
20th Century American Primitive Cabinets
Oak
20th Century Chinese Chinese Chippendale Planters and Jardinieres
Metal, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Cabinets
Oak
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Lacquer
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Barware
Metal
Antique Early 1900s Italian Cabinets
Metal
Vintage 1920s North American Prints
Paper
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Wine Coolers
Brass, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Metal
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Barware
Brass, Chrome
Antique 1890s French Victorian Cupboards
Chrome
Antique 19th Century Chinese Barware
Pewter
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Toys and Dolls
Metal
Vintage 1950s French Decorative Bowls
Tin
Vintage 1950s American Cupboards
Metal
Vintage 1960s Chinese Side Tables
Teak
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Brass, Sheet Metal
Vintage 1940s American Industrial More Furniture and Collectibles
Antique 18th Century Chinese More Asian Art, Objects and Furniture
Brass, Steel
20th Century Chinese Wine Coolers
Mahogany, Teak
Early 20th Century Side Tables
Elm
20th Century American End Tables
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Copper
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wine Coolers
Goatskin
Early 20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Cabinets
Oak
Antique Early 1900s Arts and Crafts Cabinets
Oak
Vintage 1920s Industrial Cabinets
Metal
Antique 19th Century American Cabinets
Oak
Antique 19th Century Rustic Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Tin
Vintage 1930s American Industrial Cabinets
Early 20th Century American Primitive Cabinets
Brass
Early 20th Century Industrial Cabinets
Vintage 1960s American Vases and Vessels
Metal
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Planters and Jardinieres
Tin
Vintage 1960s Austrian Sporting Art Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Metal
Vintage 1930s Austrian Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Ash
Antique 19th Century English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Cabinets
Antique 19th Century Scottish Trunks and Luggage
Early 20th Century Hungarian Dry Bars
Tin
Antique 19th Century Chinese More Furniture and Collectibles
Vintage 1950s Chinese Planters and Jardinieres
Brass
Vintage 1920s French Trunks and Luggage
Metal
Vintage 1940s American Trunks and Luggage
Wood
Early 20th Century Philippine Wardrobes and Armoires
20th Century French Dry Bars
Brass
Early 20th Century French Planters and Jardinieres
Tôle
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collecti...
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Burl
Early 20th Century French Planters and Jardinieres
Iron
Early 20th Century French Rustic Planters and Jardinieres
Iron
Ice Chest For Sale on 1stDibs
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Finding the Right Tableware for You
While it isn’t always top of mind for some, antique and vintage tableware can enhance even the most informal meal. It has been an intimate part of how we’ve interacted with our food for millennia.
Tableware has played a basic but important role in everyday life. Ancient Egyptians used spoons (which are classified as flatware) made of ivory and wood, while Greeks and Romans, who gathered for banquets involving big meals and entertainment, ate with forks and knives. At the beginning of the 17th century, however, forks were still uncommon in American homes. Over time, tableware has thankfully evolved and today includes increasingly valuable implements.
Tableware refers to the tools people use to set the table, including serving pieces, dinner plates and more. It encompasses everything from the intricate and elaborate to the austere and functional, yet are all what industrial product designer Jasper Morrison might call “Super Normal” — anonymous objects that are too useful to be considered banal.
There are four general categories of tableware — serveware, dinnerware, drinkware and, lastly, flatware, which is commonly referred to as silverware or cutlery. Serveware includes serving bowls, platters, gravy boats, casserole pans and ladles. Most tableware is practical, but it can also be decorative. And decorative objects count as tableware too. Even though they don’t fit squarely into one of the four categories, vases, statues and floral arrangements are traditional centerpieces.
Drinkware appropriately refers to the vessels we use for our beverages — mugs, cups and glasses. There is a good deal of variety that falls under this broad term. For example, your cheerful home bar or mid-century modern bar cart might be outfitted with a full range of vintage barware, which might include pilsner glasses and tumblers. Specialty cocktails are often served in these custom glasses, but they’re still a type of drinkware.
Every meal should be special — even if you’re using earthenware or stoneware for a casual lunch — but perhaps you’re hosting a dinner party to mark a specific event. The right high-quality tableware can bring a touch of luxury to your cuisine. Young couples, for example, traditionally add “fine china,” or porcelain, to their wedding registry as a commemoration of their union and likely wouldn’t turn down exquisite silver made by Tiffany & Co. or Georg Jensen.
It’s important to remember, however, that when you’re setting the dining room table to have fun with it. Just as you might mix and match your dining chairs, don’t be afraid to mix new and old or high and low with your tableware. On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage and antique tableware to help elevate your meal as well as the mood and atmosphere of your entire dining room.
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