Fine Victorian silver gallery drinks tray
Fine Victorian silver gallery drinks tray
5517
A fine quality antique sterling silver gallery tray of oval form, with a beautifully hand-pierced border. This elegant pattern incorporates a scrolling foliate design and is finished with a crisp bead edging. The handles are cut from the gallery and the surface of this silver tray is perfectly plain.
The serving tray as we know it 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. Some salver designs feature 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.
Dimensions:
1898
London
Excellent
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