Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-12
FASHIONS IN CHINA.
DECORATED TABLEWARE USED ONLY
ON STATE OCCASIONS.
Now offered for saie-ksch Fish
asd Game Sets.
New York Press.)

Now offered for 6aic-R3ch Fish
AID Game Sets. d
New York Press)
Whatever may be the vssaries Of fash
ion in dress. eccentricity in house furnish
ings can seldom be popularized. During
the last few years various attempts have
been made to Introduce rocsco styles In
China: but the testimony OF the best
houses in the trade Is that these shapes
have never been adopted by families OF
good taste and they are now going out
before the steady demand for ware
which shah give dignity and elegance to
the table
The finest dinner sets used In New York
to-day are mostly of English china The
plates are round, the tureen and vegetable
dishes round or oval.
Tho majority Of sets are practically de-
void OF coler. The groundwork is white
or ivory, and the characterization marrow
band OF gold with tiny figures etched
upon IL and a small fiagree or scroll
work figure In the centre.
Where color is desired green Is con-
sidersd In the best taste. The shades OF
green vary, as each manufacturer selects
his own pigments.
The reasons for the decided preference
given to green are that IL is a color that
lights up well-an important consideration
In a dinner sst-and that unlike blue It Is
not apt to antagonize other table decora-
tons.
Pink yellow, and gray are thought to
be inappropriate by reason of their dell
cacy, while maroons and browns would
be avoided By those OF refinement just as
surely as strong perfumes.
Although plain forms and smooth
edges are most fashionable, there IL one
deviation so artistic that II cannot be
called in question. 1t Is what Is known as
the gadresn edge" and may be best
described as broad futing, or by the
petals of a crocus pulled apart and laid
side by side, the outline being In gilt
The dishes for this pattern are ''old silver
forms" and literal copies OF old silver
ware.
The number OF pieces now In set OF
china varies. but the following list has
been given by one OF the most reliable
firms IN New York. and Is seat out by
| them when a full set OF any of the three
wares mentioned Is ordered. There are
nominally is5 pieces but II must be re-
| membered that a cup and saucer are
reckoned as two. and the gravy tureen
three bowl, cover, and stand. The as
sortment is az follows
| Soup tureen. covered gravy tureen,
sauce boat, two pickles salad, four cover
! ed dishes. two uncovered dishes, five meat
dishes different Sizes. eighteen dinner
plates. twelve breakfast or dessert plates,
! twelve tea plates, twelve soup plates,
twelv. preserve plates twelve small but
ter plates. twelve tea-cups and saueers,
| twelve dessert coffee-cups and saucers.
| two comportes. two cake plates.
| Ii will be seen by the list that dinner
| set does not include either a game or
fish service, nor does 1t provide Tor the
| latest lnnovation-the bread-snd- butter
plate-which now finds a place on fashion
able dinner tables and promises to be
| more popular than the English idea OF not
! serving butter at that meal.
a MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
An authority on such subjects gives 1t
| as his opinion that this American fashion
| of the bread-and- butter plate Is n move
! IN the right direction. for II introduces
bizarre effects to an otherwise coloriees
arrangement and serves the same artistic
purpose at the beginning OF a meal that
| the after-dinner coffees 10 at the end.
Where these plates are used they are on
the table until the roast IL removed.
They should always be odd-that Is. diff
ferent from the dinner service-eut set
by themselves, and NY be AS rich IN
| coloring as you please 1T is perfectly cor
rect to put a bread and butter plate with
| gold and pink decoration with dinner
service of green or blue. Although 50
small-the proper size is about six inches
IN dameter-they may cost you S55 per
dozen.
The price of dinner set such as has
been described Is not less than 500.
! In addition to this some families use
/ what Is known as a service set, which
| consists OF twelve plates, the object OF
/ which Is merely to furnish the table.
They are placed for each guest, and othef
plates are in turn set upon them--oysters,
, soup. fish, meats, and entrees. They are
removed before the pastry Is served. AZ the
dessert-plstes then take their place. Al
, though the fashion may seem at hrst
: thought n mere excuse for display II
serves another purpose-namely. that OF
protecting a lnely polished table from
all possibility OF injury from hot plates
The monstrosities known as oyster
plates" which have offended housekeep-
ers and artists alike, are IN all proDa-
| bility to be banished.
The latest idea for serving oysters Is
to nh a soap-plate with cracked ice and
! 10 Law the oysters on the half-shell d.
| rectly upon It,. Those who cannot abide
! III. original shell can have substitutes
in dainty Belleek; but If You would be
considered an epcure. you will not de-
tach the oyster. but leave that duty for
each of your guests.
DISHES FOR LARGE PARTIES.
The question must often have occurred
| TO many as TO the service of dishes re-
quired by people of fashion who give
large dinner parties. as none Of the sets
! of china would seem sufficient for the
purpose.
Platters and vegetable dishes are sup
plemented by an extra number In silver. In
some instances In gold. Glass salad-bowls
and celery dishes are almost UNIVERSAL
and those who entertain largely BUY
dozens OF plates to match their sets.
family will often order as many as five
dozen plates at $50 a dozen or At even a
higher price, though that mentioned Is
about the average.
In spite OF the notoriety given TO the
fact that there are services OF gold used
by certain New York families there are
many who will not tolerate metal unless
1t be porcelain lined.
To the fastidious the absolute cieanli-
ness OF china and glass is sufficient TO
counterbalance the grandeur OF silver
and gold.
For this reason they demand china
toaSI-EdChS OH lnelr DieaniooteSi-' ~
50 great IL their preference IN this one
direction of table furnishing. that dealer
i'm fine china states that he finds II DIM
cult 10 keep any assortment OF thern'
that they are sold as fast as manufae-
tured. Nevertheless there are families
who imagine 1t mark OF high breeding
to use gold and silver dishes.
FISH AND GAME SETS.
Fish and game sets consist of thirteen
and tfteen piecee. respectively, and are
always In conformity as regards decora-
ton with the course for which the airs
intended: those for nsA having fsh paint
ed on them and those for game being
ornamented with similar appropriateness
IL may readily be seen how beautiful such
sets could be made.
They, too. follow the fashion OF the ain
mar SERVICE and are severely plain N