Everything to Know About the Silver Plate Butlers Tray

(Above photo - Silver Plate butlers tray )

Thanks to its versatility, beauty, and variety, a silver plate butlers' tray is a must-have item for collectors worldwide. After buying one, you can either use it to create a unique accent inside your home or for various functional purposes. Since the trays are made by different people and feature varied shapes, you can find one that meets your taste. Therefore, the next time you buy a silver plate butlers' plate, you should consider its primary purpose. Butlers' trays may exist in any form, including the following:

Flat Tray

(Above photo - Silver plate tray on stand )

The flat tray has low trim and flat board and can be used by butlers to carry food in the palaces of nobles and kings. Essentially, this is a flat, shallow container for serving meals. In the case of the silver plate butlers' tray, the precious metal makes it capable of serving more than just one function. For example, you can hang it on the wall to enhance your home decor or turn it into a tea tray, trinket dish, and so on. The function to which you subject it depends on your individual needs.

Tea Tray

(Above photo - Silver Plate Tray Victorian Platter Faux Tort )

A tea tray is a flat oval vessel popularised in the 1700s for serving tea. Originally, it was an oval tray without handles. Later in the 19th century, handles were added to the larger vessels to make them easier to carry while serving tea or coffee to a larger audience. The use of this tray marked the beginning of the formal tea preparation. Its surface is perfect for tea preparation services such as setting out cups, pouring tea and carrying cups to the guests or table where the tea is to be served. Today, a tea tray might not serve the same traditional function of serving tea. Instead, it has become a symbol of wealth and a collector's favourite item. Even if it were to serve tea, the tray would impress the guests. Alternatively, you can place a silver plate butlers' tray in a room mainly to serve as a focal point.

Drink/Gallery Trays

(Above photo - Silver Plate Tray Shagreen Platter Sheffield )

The drink/gallery tray is similar to the tea tray and comes in handy on special occasions. It is a great surface on which one can present drinks during special events in the home or elsewhere. Unlike the flat tray, drink/gallery trays have raised sides that secure the drinks and prevent glasses and bottles from tipping or slipping off the tray's surface. Also, a tray for drinks is much smaller than a tea tray.

Snuffer Trays

The purpose of snuffer trays wasn't to serve food. Instead, they were used in households to hold candle snuffer once it was used up. Thus, the popularity of these trays increased with the growing association of candles with wealth. Before the invention of electricity, homes had to be lit using candles.

Conclusion

(Above photo - Regency Silver Plate Tray Butlers Serving Platter )

The silver plate butler's tray is a must-have collector's item, given its functionality. It can be out to various functions, including serving food or used as a decoration to improve the home decor.