Dining accessories are the smaller items that furnish and serve a dining table alongside the main dinner service and cutlery, including salt cellars, cruets, mustard pots, pepper casters, knife rests, napkin rings, wine coasters, toast racks, butter dishes, sauce boats, place-card holders and menu stands. They are made in silver, plate, glass, ceramics, treen and other materials.
The range of dining accessories expanded considerably during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as dining became increasingly formal and elaborate, with separate courses and specialised equipment for each. Georgian silver salts, cruet frames and wine coasters are well-established collecting areas, while Victorian manufacturers produced vast quantities of electroplated accessories in revival and novelty designs. Good examples combine practical function with fine craftsmanship, and many carry hallmarks, maker's marks or registered design numbers that help with dating. Collectors look for crisp decoration, original liners and fittings, intact blue glass in pierced salts and a lack of wear or repair. Antique dining accessories remain popular because they can be used, adding character and conversation to a modern table setting.
