salvers & trays
Posted by P. Bingham on January 19, 1998 at 22:15:54:
In response to Different shapes and sizes?, written by Carolyn B on January 18, 1998 at 21:52:33
The difference between a salver and a tray is that a tray has handles and salvers don't. During the Regency & before salvers were the most items used to collect cards and they were often very extensively decorated, about the rim and often with delicate lattice work, though not nearly as much as you mentioned that the Victorians did. Fine Regency families in London kept their foyer as imposing as possible and a silver salver was an example of this. Bowls might be used as well, of course, but more likely in the country.
This is not to say that a salver was only used for receiving cards... Salvers came in all shapes and sizes and were often used in much the same way as a tray would...without the handles.
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