In the past, wealthy families spent a lifetime collecting ornate, expensive silverware, with plans to eventually hand them down to their heirs. Entertaining with the “good” silver was a visible way for a family to show off their wealth and status. Southern debutantes to show their good breeding, enjoyed the tradition of showcasing vintage silver for lavish dinner parties and teas. (while wearing her heirloom pearls of course!)

In Victorian times, proper dining and entertaining etiquette was a major indicator of class and wealth. Excessive attention was paid to utilizing the proper dinnerware, necessitating an almost endless variety of utensils and serving pieces. The Victorian hostess had a specific utensil for every individual item. These ornate embellished pieces made upper-class dining into an event.

Today’s young woman or men may still want to showcase the family silver to demonstrate the many affluent generations that preceded them. But, what if you don’t have an affluent history or at least you weren’t gifted with any heirloom silver? Flea markets and Tag sales are a good source of old fashioned silverware, as are collector sites on the internet. In fact collecting silver can become a fun hobby and you can use what you collect.

One of my favorite Holiday traditions is polishing my heirloom silver collection for use during Thanksgiving & Christmas. Polishing and placing these pieces, remind me of my mother, who chose her silver pattern as part of her wedding registry. I remember her wearing her pearls and heels, serving Christmas dinners with an apron over her dress. I always thought my mother was terribly glamorous. Even though my family wasn’t especially affluent, I treasure the silverware and china I inherited. However, I didn’t want to store my silver out of sight. I wanted to display it…but how?

My solution was to find a darling “lingerie” cabinet covered completely in beveled-edge mirrors with tiny velvet-lined drawers. I fitted them with felt silverware holders to hold and display my large collection of Heirloom silver as well as my incresing collection of vintage Victorian pieces and Cappuccino cups I had begun to collect. The cabinet turned out so beautifully that I placed it in my living room to add some “sparkle”

Now I have room for all my Victorian grapefruit spoons and seafood forks to be displayed and enjoyed…and used!