11" George III silver salver

Early George III period antique silver salver, mounted on cast scroll pattern supports. The decorative shaped circular border features an applied cast leaf, shell and gadroon pattern mount, typical of the era. The centre is finely engraved with a family coat-of-arms for the Burridge family of High Halden, Kent.

The serving trays we know today is an evolution of the salver, which was a term used in England from the mid-seventeenth century to denote a flat tray without handles, usually made of silver. Like this example, some salver designs featured supporting feet - usually three or four.

The word salver derives from the Latin salvare meaning to save. Originally, food or drink intended for royalty would be initially tasted by a servant for signs of poison before it reached the royal top table. Being served on the salver indicated that this process had taken place and the food and drink was now fit for a king.

Salvers later became commonplace in aristocratic and wealthy homes and Samuel Pepys is recorded as an owner of a salver, signifying his high social standing.