The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-15
PLATES.
They Are Exceedingly Psps:as Jast Nsv
-Naace-laahes AHe Dot n Date.

In the world OF crockery Md glas~
ware this is essentially an age u plates
The time was when housewives stocked
their closets and sideboa-ds with sause-
dishes. which were considered the
! proper service whether crsnbcrries.
siewed peaches. mashed trrnips. lob
str salad, lima beans. or ice-cream
| constituted the course. Now one never
sees . sauce-dish where there is the
least pretensc 10 style. To be sure.
they are for sale in Oh. stores. bu; tho
purchasers are far behind the tines
Now the fashion calls for plates. and
the city trade in that line is enormous
With a nice variety Of plates plenty OF
pretty cups. and a few dozen small
forks. a ho~usc-kceper has about al
the service necessary for elegant entcr.
tainmen;. Such ,hi.gs as jeNies. pre-
serves, marmaladcs. ell sort, of pud-
! dings aud pastries. every variety of
vegetable. salads of all kinds. and
even auces. creams and ices are dished
out on plates which are a trife smaller
than meat-plates, but much larger
than fruit-p!ates. At small entertain
ments and all large gathering, where
the catering is simple everything is
passed On a plate, even u the cup of
coffee. Sauccrs are not even men
toned. M q spoon is not t. be
punch or cup Of tea. its place having
been usurped by = me iium-sized fork.
Ice-crcam plates are fiat with q curv-
ing edge not half an inch high. The
shapes vary, some representing a leaf.
The finest specimens in cUt-gla>s i.r To
be found in the American goods, which
this year lead the world. There are few
or no new pattgrn in the cutting. but
the quality of the glass and the general
workmanship are not surpassed by tho
firms which heretofore have controlled
the trade. As in the old china sets. the
crystal ice-creams include twelve plates
and u large platter, the knife sometimes
being set in a cut-glass handle. Such q
service can not be bought for less than
500. and from that figure prices run
to $3.50 The china ice-cream plates
sell as low as ~ cents, and any better
| EoOu> " ptoBOA SaOilSbN hEbs SuC
quality and quantity of the decoration
rather than the ware regulating the
price. Plates sell at - each. and from
that mp To $50. There are no less than
a thousand designs from which t.
choose. A there is no standard re-
garding the size. many women buy
thre. or four dozen OF a medium diam
ter. but are careful that there shall be
no duplicate.
The finest ware ::made is deliberately
decorated, and a. the common stone
porc clain is similarly treated, Oae must
be well-versed in pottery TO tell the
crown Derby from the iron crown ppr-
celain. In cups. for instance. disiinc-
ton is not puzzling; btA in plates. plat
tiers, turc and such other dishes n
must necessarily bc strong. only n judge
is able to see through the glazing and
mastery burning. But to run through
q stock aud break sets for a plate ar
two. one must br . good customer be-
fore taat privilege is granted.
While for courses dishes are similar
in color and pattern. it is no longer in
good form to have them all alike. Tie
fancy is given full sweep in the fruit
and dessert plates proper. In that way
t.iere S n lack Of that monotony which
comes from .buying a complete table
set. whether for tea. dinner or break
fast.
The blue Dresden china plates 81 fash
ionable in the East are little admired
here. which is saying much for West IN
fast diousness. The demand is rather
fox the COp.lin. an English ware Of dull
background gorgeously decorated with
r.cI color and bands Of gold and lace
work. Such plates sell at $2S per
dozen. The cheapest crown Derby
meat-plate is worth g.. and although
Their, IS still n demand the trade is not
Is large as for tie Vienna ware. That
brand is especially notable for the
variety as well as tine exquisite designs
which are sent Out every season. The
shapes. tn. are pretty, and the tints are
always suggested by the design used.
That is to say. flowers arr thrown
against the fainfest tints of color. game
and birds live in atmosphere, while iig-
u,es or original designs are mounted
on rich co'or-. Vienn. plates. whetacr
for meat, fruit. fish o. game, are not to
be had under $50 per dozen.
Fish-plates are generally made up
with pretty designs which allow their
use for any course. The taste. how
ever. of some buyers calls for n regular
fish plate. One specimen Of Royal
Worcester ware shows q plate Is large
As would he used for roast meat :. lone
in q cream tint Of basket cloth surface
with fish-forms in relief. Some idea of
the design NAV be inferred from the
price-$13 for twelve fish-platea For
S9S n a see a dozen plates. each in
the form of a pond lily leaf and each
containing a marine view. The beauty
Of design as well ~ the excellent quail
~ OF work is well worth the price.
There are nice plates containing sea
weeds. shells. and all sorts of small
odd-shapcd fish, marked $40 . dozen
Whe. e desired piat,crs are furnished
the sole decoration consists Of a long
slender fish extending the full length.
Asparagusplates are divided into
throe kinds. some having the vegetable
Itself for decoration. bot the pveftjs:
ones have little in the way Of decora-
tons to suggest their use.
Many game-plates are indicated nv
hunting scenes and landscapes. with
grouse. woodcock. duck. suipe. pheas-
ant. p~rairie-chieken. and some game Of
q larger kind. A set Of twelve plates
marked $3.50 had hand-painted game in
the enter.
Birds. frui, and flowers appear OF the
frlrt and dessert plates. which range in
price from $21 TO $500 q dozen. Per-
haps the best-known design in this
year stock is q fac smile OF the SCI
belonging to the china closet n the