Plain George III oval silver salver

Late-18th-century silver salver of oval form, mounted on four tapering cast silver supports and decorated with an applied moulded thread pattern border. Elegant simplicity personified, and perfect to be incorporated into any table setting, whether traditional or modern.

We've chosen to serve petit fours but this antique silver salver would be perfect to hold canapés, a decanter or glass.

An identical silver salver is also available, which would make an excellent pair.

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.