Place your dinner plate on your
table in front of the chair. On the right side of the plate, place
your entree knife with the blade facing in toward the plate. ( You
will notice that most engraving, if you have your silverware
monogrammed, faces away from you.). To the right of the knife
place your teaspoon. To the right of the teaspoon, place your soup
spoon. (This can be either your round bowl, cream soup or the more versatile
oval/place soup.
To the left of your plate, place the entree fork and then the salad
fork. If you are using a bread plate you may place it either to the
left of the forks or slightly above them. You, then, may place your
bread and butter knife either on the bread plate or above the plate as shown
in the picture. In either case the blade should be facing toward the
dinner plate. Your glasses go above the knives with the water glasses
closest to the plate. Your wine glasses will go to the right of your
water glass. Your napkin may go on the plate as shown above or be
placed to the left of your forks.
You may use your luncheon size settings, your place size settings
or your dinner size settings for the same occasions. It is no longer
necessary to have more than one size knife and fork.
Many years ago when life was more formal and silver was owned by the very
well to do with many servants, there was a larger size knife and fork
used for formal dinners. Dinner size knives are between 9 1/2" to
10" long. Forks are between 7 1/2" to 8 " long. They
are a bit more bulky. There was also a luncheon size knife and fork for the
more informal supper or luncheon. The luncheon size knife is
approximately 9" long. The forks are approximately 7" long.
In the fifties, a third size was made by some companies to compromise
between the two. This was called the place size. It has a knife
that is is usually approximately 9 1/4" long. The handle is
usually longer than the handles on either the luncheon knife or dinner fork.
The fork is usually 7 1/4" long. The Gorham Company stamps
their place size knife and fork with a tiny p inside of a diamond on the
back of the entree fork, beside the sterling stamp
All three sizes are still being made. It is your own, personal
decision as to which size you prefer.
A new size, the oversized continental size, which is even larger than the
dinner size is being made in a few patterns. This corresponds to the
size that you will see in some European countries.
 Pictured
Here a Comparison of Place Size & Dinner Size in the Pattern " French
Renaissance " by Reed & Barton.
There are also 2 types of knife blades. The most current blade is
the modern blade. If you look at where the handle meets the
blade, the blade itself is very similar on both sides & flows into
the handle is a smooth, graceful line. The older style is the french
blade. If you look where the handle meets the blade, one side of the
blade juts out in a manner similar to a hatchet. These were made is
several styles. The old french is a wider blade. The new french tapers
off more when it gets to the end of the blade.
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French Blade Knife
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Modern Blade Knife
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Click on this link to read about "grille" size.
What is grille size?
If you are using a teacup and saucer, they go to the right of your soup
spoon.
If you plan to serve a separate fish course, we recommend the luncheon
knife and fork. Very few patterns have their own fish knife and
fork. Especially if you are using the dinner size setting, the
luncheon knife and fork will substitute nicely for the fish knife and fork.
The basic serving pieces
in sterling, silver plated and stainless flatware
are a table serving spoon, 1 pierced (slotted) table serving spoon, a
meat serving fork, a master butter server & a sugar spoon. The
gravy ladle used to be considered very necessary but recently the pie/cake
server has replaced it. Many people no longer serve as many foods with
gravy. It is still available. It is usually necessary to have
two to three table serving spoons. More than one pie/cake server may
be needed for your party buffet with more than one dessert that needs to be
sliced and served.
There are many other pieces available.
Click here to go to our individual piece page.
If
there are any other inquiries that you would like to make, please email us
here.
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