Peter McClanahan of China Fair in Newton straightens out a display. The retail outlet sells a wide variety of flatware.
(Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff)
Pro Shop
As a caterer, Emma Roberts loves anything to do with tabletops. She collects salt and pepper shakers, fine china, votive candle holders, and candlesticks.
Her favorite item is a 24-piece heirloom silver set from a family estate in Philadelphia. The silverware is an elegant pattern with monogram; she keeps it from tarnishing by storing it in silk bags, only pulling it out for special occasions such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and holiday dinner parties.
"Silver will outlast you, endure for hundreds of years, and go to your children's children," says Roberts, owner of Capers Catering in Stoneham.
Robert's silverware harks back to an era when homemakers kept their best genuine silver utensils in a cherry box, only to be taken out and polished once or twice a year and set on the dining room table with the best linens, crystal, and china. "Those days are long gone," says Paul Gebhardt of Oneida, one of the largest makers of silverware.
The flatware in department and specialty stores today - a $200 million marketplace - isn't your grandmother's silverware, which tended to feature needlepoint-style patterns or early Victorian motifs.
Instead, modern silverware designers like Gebhardt travel the world with an eye on making the table a decorative statement.
"We look at trends in the auto industry, fashion, even the 'green environment' rage, taking the global pulse, then designing to fit these scenarios," he says.
Natural, organic pieces are currently popular, as well as other elements from art and architecture. Gebhardt says one of the most well-received patterns from a recent tabletop show was derived from a design that originated in the food service industry. Called Aero, the flatware set has a Bauhaus style with detailed tailoring, a clean surface finish, and straightforward shaping.
Oneida, like many other major manufacturers, introduces 50 to 60 new silverware designs annually, with some of those being proprietary for select companies or restaurants.
High-quality stainless steel isn't cheap, with place settings costing between $30 and $50. Place settings typically include five pieces:, a dinner and salad fork, knife, teaspoon, and tablespoon. Whether a fork or a knife, the utensil should feel comfortable in your hand and have substantial weight instead of feeling flimsy and pliable.
"Funky handles might look cool, but they're often not functional," says Simone Williamson, owner of Be Our Guest, a Boston linens-and-party-equipment-rental company that recently acquired 10,000 elegant, highly polished stainless steel forks made by VST flatware for the Nordstrom Natick Opening Gala.
And of course, your flatware should be able to stand up to the wear and tear of daily use, including the dishwasher. At the Taj Boston, food and beverage manager Claude Dubois says all knives, forks, and spoons are checked on a regular basis to ensure they're polished, shining, and presentable, with no bent pieces or tarnish.
"Flatware is an accent piece that ties together the various elements on the table, from the charger to the tablecloth," says Williamson.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
