Salver

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

23510

Title

Salver

Description

A view of a slaver with a small crest in the centre.

Artist / maker

Aytoun, William

Date

1748

Type

Silver

Location

Museum of Edinburgh

Accession number

HH4682/87

The difference between a salver and a tray is that trays have handles and slavers do not. Trays are not found before the late 18th century. Most early salvers perished during the English civil war and there are few survivors before the reign of Queen Anne. Salvers less than 6 inches in diameter are usually called waiters. The early 18th century salvers sometimes has a central foot and is sometimes incorrectly called a tazza. There are few oblong salvers, and square ones usually date from c1720-40, a period when a few rare octagonal ones were also made. Oval salvers which usually date from the late 18th century are rare and much sought after. Trays are usually oblong or oval, and being larger than salvers are more expensive. Trays from the 1750s are rare and command high prices. Very large round salvers being awkward to use are not as collectable as their size might indicate.

Exhibitions with this item

Other views of this item

Related images