Sets of silver dinner plates became particularly popular amongst the wealthy in the middle eighteenth century and were often made in large sets.
Alongside these dinner plates, soup plates, dessert plates and larger second course plates which were used for serving, were also popular. Food was placed directly on to the dinner plate whereas the more modern method is to place a porcelain plate onto the silver using the silver plate as a decorative feature.
Eighteenth and nineteenth century dinner and soup plates are generally around 10 inches (25.4 cm ) diameter which would render them a little small for use as underplates. By the turn of the 1900’s larger plates of around 11 inches (27.5 cm) suitable for use as underplates can be found. Dessert plates are generally around 8 inches(20.32cms) and the larger second course plates / dishes for serving around 12 inches (30.48) to 14inches(35.56cms). The bread and butter plate which starts to appear in the 1890s seems to have been more popular in America than Europe.
You will find a wonderful selection of plates for sale from William Walter Antiques for all purposes including a set of 12 dinner plates from 1805 made for the Earl of Aberdeen who was British Prime Minister in 1852-1855 during the Crimean War, an extensive set made for Count Martignone by Emile Puiforcat of Paris showcasing dinner plates, underplates, soup plates and bread plates and plates made for Baron Rothschild and even the wealthiest of the Maharajas.
