Antique tableware has the power to transform an ordinary meal into an experience that celebrates history, beauty, and a sense of connection. There is a certain magic you feel when you lift the lid of an old cutlery box, when your eye becomes mesmerised by the details of hand-painted porcelain, or when you run your fingers along the delicate rim of a crystal glass - antique tableware is so much more than just “old plates” or “vintage glasses.” These objects are filled with stories. They have lived long before we laid our own tables, and, if we let them, they can transform how we experience the everyday task of eating a meal.

Antique tableware invites us to form an emotional connection - not only with the pieces themselves, but also with the act of dining, and those you dine with. No two pieces are truly the same: the faint wear of a fork’s handle suggests repeated use over time, the gentle fading of a patterned dinner plate hints at countless meals enjoyed, and a fine scratch on the base of a champagne coupe recalls past celebrations. These are all marks of a life well lived. Each detail shows that the object has fulfilled its role in partaking in good food, congratulatory toasts, and, perhaps, a few rowdy celebrations.

This connection through history fills my mind each time I dine with these objects. They thread together past and present. I imagine conversations spoken over them and the hands that lovingly polished them. I picture countless Sunday lunches and the candlelit dinners they adorned that have long been forgotten. Using these pieces today not only preserves their craftsmanship but also honours the many lives they have been part of, and it feels wonderful to be the author of the next chapter in their story.

Passing Down Tradition

In an age where meals are often rushed or eaten in front of screens or out of plastic containers, antique tableware offers an escape. Rather than hurry, it asks us to slow down: to lay the table, sit together, and serve food in a way that invites conversation, attentiveness, and a bit of needed theatrics. Rushing through a meal becomes difficult when your eye is drawn to every ornate detail carved in the handle of your knife, or the way the candlelight reflects off your cut crystal glass, or how the damask linen napkin feels soft in your hands. Reviving traditions that may otherwise fade brings joy - whether it’s serving after-dinner tea from a delicate Chinese teapot, carving a roast at the head of the table with a horn-handled carving set, or ladling warm stew from a French soupière. These small acts connect us to a shared human history of hospitality.

The Everyday Beauty of Use

One of the greatest misunderstandings about antique tableware is that it should be tucked away, reserved only for holidays, weddings, or special occasions. I believe the opposite is true. These pieces thrive on use. Their ‘souls’, if you will, come alive when they are part of the rhythm of daily life, just as they have been for tens, even a hundred years before. Eating is a basic human need. Every day, often several times, we eat - usually without much thought. But what happens when we choose to make it beautiful? Perhaps we serve breakfast on our favourite patterned plates. Maybe we drink water from a weighted crystal tumbler, or sip tea from a porcelain cup on its saucer. Suddenly, a mundane act becomes a moment of beauty. This small shift can anchor us in the present and improve our mood. If a glass chips during a toast, so be it; that glass has fulfilled its purpose in bringing people together.

Incorporating antique tableware into everyday life doesn’t have to mean formality either. Mix and match with modern pieces, or use it alongside casual meals, and enjoy it in ways that feel natural to your lifestyle. You might find vintage French ceramic patterned plates that are dishwasher safe, to use for dinner each evening, or keep your sugar in a porcelain sugar bowl on your counter to use in your coffee each morning, or perhaps you have a pair of weighted crystal glasses you like that make sipping wine feel like an occasion. The more you use these pieces, the more they become a part of your story - and the more your story becomes a part of theirs.

Starting Your Own Collection

For those wanting to incorporate antique tableware into their lives, I recommend starting with three essentials: 

• A set of crockery you truly love: Whether it’s a large matching set filled with serving pieces or a mix of floral-patterned dinner plates to use daily, choose pieces that spark joy every time you see them. This will form the heart of your table. 
• Beautiful glassware: There is nothing quite like sipping from a well-made glass. The clarity, the satisfying weight in your hand, or the unique design that caught your eye - it makes even the simplest drink feel elevated.
• Good silver or silver-plated cutlery: On even the simplest table, silver comes alive. The patina, the weight, and the often ornate design make all the difference when it comes to dining.

From there, let your collection grow slowly and intentionally. Look for pieces that speak to you and reflect the rituals of your everyday life.

These pieces are companions in our daily routines, guardians of tradition, and witnesses to moments both grand and small. With care, they can continue to serve for generations to come, just as they have for centuries past.

They serve as a reminder that beauty, history, and connection are never far away. They’re waiting for you at the table.

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Auction Details

Auction: 
Tuesday 23 September 2025, 10.30am BST
Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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Viewing:
Viewing in London (highlights):

• Tuesday 9 September: 10am-4pm
• Wednesday 10 September: 10am-4pm

Viewing in Newbury (full sale):

• Thursday 18 September: 10am-4pm
• Friday 19 September: 10am-4pm
• Sunday 21 September: 10am-3pm
• Monday 22 September: 10am-4pm

Further Information:
General enquiries: + 44 (0) 1635 553 553 | jsw@dreweatts.com
Press enquiries: press@dreweatts.com

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