Dinner time in the United States used to mean one thing...sitting around a kitchen or dining room table with loved ones and enjoying a beautiful meal together. Surrounding the kitchen or dining room table, and eating off a nice dinner set, complete with a fork, knife, spoon, plate, glasses, napkins and a centerpiece was a great way to enjoy some fantastic conversation, and welcome in the evening hours.
In this article we will be exploring the world of one of these components, the humble dinner set. We will be explaining where these sets originated, and if time permits, we will be offering details on some of the finest examples available today.
Civilizations in the ancient world were often characterized by the pottery that remained years after they had ceased to exist. Archaeologists would find these remains as they combed through the various archeological sites. It's interesting to note that many people valued their dinnerware and pottery so much that they were even buried with it.
Sometimes people will refer to dinnerware as "China". Ever wonder why? It's because years ago dinnerware was made from porcelain, and porcelain making was invented by the Chinese over 1000 years ago. Logical answer, eh? Probably invented by the Tang Dynasty, but the emperors of the Song Dynasty seem to be taking most of the credit for it. Half way through the Song Dynasty, around 1100 AD, the process of porcelain making was being circulated throughout the East. By the time the 1400's AD had rolled around, this knowledge had made its way to Europe.
Because the cost of importing fine dinnerware from China was so expensive, only the very rich could afford it. To remedy this situation, the Europeans started to create their own "China" factories. They did modify the process a bit, incorporating a different mixture of clays and other materials. The result was a "softer China", one that had a duller or "softer tone" than those products that were being imported from China. Around 1700, in England, another form of "China" was starting to be developed. It was called "Bone China", and it was made from a mixture of both porcelain clays and bone ash.
Today, most of our valuable and yes collectable dinnerware is made from pottery, not porcelain. It's sometimes called "earthenware", and it was extremely popular during the decades of the 1950's and 1960's.
Stoneware is the most widely used pottery today. It seems to be all around us, from stores to restaurants, from homes to hotels. Stoneware is fired at a very high temperature until it is completely solid, and therefore able to hold liquids. The process for creating Stoneware, as was porcelain, was developed in China, about 3500 years ago. It's interesting to note that some of the most sought after pieces of Stoneware were created in the mid 1800's here in the United States (in the Virginia and New England areas to be more exact).
We hope you liked this little history of the dinner set. We will be offering our TOP PICKS in future articles. If you feel that you can't wait, please visit us on our blog. - 33383
In this article we will be exploring the world of one of these components, the humble dinner set. We will be explaining where these sets originated, and if time permits, we will be offering details on some of the finest examples available today.
Civilizations in the ancient world were often characterized by the pottery that remained years after they had ceased to exist. Archaeologists would find these remains as they combed through the various archeological sites. It's interesting to note that many people valued their dinnerware and pottery so much that they were even buried with it.
Sometimes people will refer to dinnerware as "China". Ever wonder why? It's because years ago dinnerware was made from porcelain, and porcelain making was invented by the Chinese over 1000 years ago. Logical answer, eh? Probably invented by the Tang Dynasty, but the emperors of the Song Dynasty seem to be taking most of the credit for it. Half way through the Song Dynasty, around 1100 AD, the process of porcelain making was being circulated throughout the East. By the time the 1400's AD had rolled around, this knowledge had made its way to Europe.
Because the cost of importing fine dinnerware from China was so expensive, only the very rich could afford it. To remedy this situation, the Europeans started to create their own "China" factories. They did modify the process a bit, incorporating a different mixture of clays and other materials. The result was a "softer China", one that had a duller or "softer tone" than those products that were being imported from China. Around 1700, in England, another form of "China" was starting to be developed. It was called "Bone China", and it was made from a mixture of both porcelain clays and bone ash.
Today, most of our valuable and yes collectable dinnerware is made from pottery, not porcelain. It's sometimes called "earthenware", and it was extremely popular during the decades of the 1950's and 1960's.
Stoneware is the most widely used pottery today. It seems to be all around us, from stores to restaurants, from homes to hotels. Stoneware is fired at a very high temperature until it is completely solid, and therefore able to hold liquids. The process for creating Stoneware, as was porcelain, was developed in China, about 3500 years ago. It's interesting to note that some of the most sought after pieces of Stoneware were created in the mid 1800's here in the United States (in the Virginia and New England areas to be more exact).
We hope you liked this little history of the dinner set. We will be offering our TOP PICKS in future articles. If you feel that you can't wait, please visit us on our blog. - 33383
About the Author:
Learn more about the history of the Dinner Set. Stop by Diana Richards's site where you can find out all about her TOP PICKS and what makes them so special.
