
Regimental silverware. Articles of silverware owned by military regiments for display, usually in the officers’ mess, are often statuettes (sometimes equestrian) of officers or men or depictions of weapons (e.g., cannons or aeroplanes), but sometimes they are for utilitarian use. Such pieces have generally been donated to a regiment by a retiring officer or given as a testimonial to an officer. They are taken with the regiment wherever it is stationed (except on combat duty). Centrepieces, two-handled cups, tureens, and rose-water basins are among them. (Newman, 1987) These utilitarian wares have a rich history in military culture.
They are not only practical pieces but also hold significant sentimental value. The level of respect and admiration they enjoy within the regiment is evident when; retiring officers donate or give them to officers as testimonials. These wares are not just ordinary household items, but rather, they are carefully crafted with intricate designs and details that reflect the prestige of the regiment. The centrepieces, two-handled cups, tureens, and rose-water basins are not only used for their intended purposes but also serve as symbols of unity and camaraderie within the regiment. They are taken with the regiment wherever it is stationed, reminding them of their history and traditions. Even though they may not be used during combat duty, these wares are important in maintaining morale and preserving the regiment’s legacy.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
Newman, H. (1987, November 1). An Illustrated Dictionary of Silverware. https://doi.org/10.1604/9780500234563
More Design Terms
-
The Journey of Delftware: From Eastern Origin to European Classic
Delftware, originating in the Netherlands, was greatly influenced by imported Eastern porcelain. Its tin-glazed earthenware imitated porcelain’s look, gaining popularity as a more affordable alternative. Its aesthetic and affordability drove English manufacturers to produce their own versions, broadening Delftware’s reach.Read More →
-
Maiolica tin-glazed earthenware, a product of the Renaissance
Maiolica is a tin-glazed earthenware that was produced during the Renaissance in Italy. The name comes from Majorca, the island from which, in the 15th century, a lot of Hispano-Moresque tin-glazed pottery was brought into Italy. The technique of covering with a tin glaze earthenware was similar to that used elsewhere in Europe for delftware…
-
Gesamtkunstwerk – Complete Art Work
Gesamtkunstwerk is a 19th-century German concept that unifies various art forms into a single work. Richard Wagner popularized it through his opera cycle “The Ring of the Nibelung,”Read More →
-
Suprematism Russian abstract art & design style
Suprematism, a non-objective art style, was developed by Kasimir Malevich in 1915. It replaced conventional obsession with human face and natural objects with modern symbols. Influenced by artists like El Lissitzky, Suprematism influenced the Bauhaus school and the Constructivist movement in Russia.Read More →
-
The Art of Kakemono: The Elegance of Japanese Hanging Scrolls
Through the lens of Kakemono, we not only appreciate Japanese artistry but also understand the underpinnings of the culture that has given birth to it. The fluidity and grace of these hanging scrolls stand testament to the rich tapestry of Japan’s historical and artistic legacy.Read More →
-
Cameo Incrustation: The Art of Porcelain and Glass through Time
The evolution of Cameo Incrustation, from its French origins to its British transformation and the ongoing legacy at Ford’s Edinburgh Glasshouse. This timeless art form, beautifully encapsulating the essence of historical figures and other subjects, continues to captivate art enthusiasts around the world.Read More →
-
Glasgow School – Art & Design Term
“Glasgow School’ is a term used to describe several groups of artists based in Glasgow. The first and most significant of these groups was a loose association of artists active from around 1880 to the turn of the century; there was no formal membership or programme, but the artists involved (who prefered to be known…
-
Biomorphism: A Fusion of Nature and Design
Biomorphism is an artistic and design movement that incorporates natural forms for decorative purposes. It emerged in the early 20th century and features swirling motifs and elongated vegetal shapes. The style faded but resurged in the 1940s. Influential figures like Saarinen and Mollino promoted biomorphism. It continues to inspire designers, bridging nature and design.Read More…
-
Chromium: Transforming the Decorative and Applied Arts for Over 150 Years
Chromium has been a game-changer in the decorative and applied arts for over 150 years. This versatile metal, known for its lustrous appearance, has revolutionized design in various mediums. From furniture and automobiles to ceramics and gemstones, chromium’s impact is undeniable. Its reflective properties and corrosion resistance make it ideal for creating striking metallic finishes.…
-
Unveiling the Beauty of Silvered Glass: A Historic Technique with a Modern Twist
Silvered glass, a historic technique dating back to the mid-19th century, revolutionized the industry by creating double-walled glass objects with a silver nitrate solution inserted between layers. The technique gained momentum when patented by William Leighton in 1855, and has since been adopted by Belgian, French, English, and Italian firms. Etching and colored coatings have…
-
Slipware Pottery – what is it?
Slipware is pottery known by its primary decorating method in which slip is added before firing by dipping, painting or splashing on the leather-hard clay body surface. Slip is an aqueous clay body suspension that is a combination of clays and other minerals, such as quartz, feldspar, and mica.Read More →
-
Japonisme – a French interpretation of a Japanese aesthetic
A French term used to describe a variety of European borrowings from Japanese art was Japonisme. With the opening of trade with Japan following the expedition of the American Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853. The interest in Japanese art in the West, particularly in France, had started to develop. The artist Félix Bracquemond, a friend…
-
Neon Lighting – Dictionary – Design Term
Neon Lighting. Semiflexible, hollow tubes of clear acrylic with small bulbs inside that can be connected to light up all at once or sequentially to produce a “chasing” effect. It’s also known as disco lighting, and it’s given homeowners new illumination alternatives. Lights designers consider neon lighting to be an art form.Read More →
-
Affichiste French for Poster Designer
Affichiste. Name (literally ‘poster designer’) taken by the French artists and photographers Raymond Hains (1926-) and Jacques de la Villeglé (1926-), who met in 1949 and created a technique to create collages from pieces of torn-down posters during the early 1950s. These works, which they displayed for the first time in 1957, were called affiches…
-
Shaker Style of Furniture – Simplicity and Functionality
The Shaker furniture style is characterised by simplicity and functionality, made from high-quality materials and features clean lines and minimal ornamentation. It fell out of favour in the early twentieth century but is now appreciated for its timeless elegance and practicality.Read More →
-
Jenny Lind Style of Furniture | Encyclopedia Design
The American term ‘Jenny Lind Style’ refers to 19th century spool furniture popularized by Swedish soprano Jenny Lind. Despite its declining popularity, this intricately designed furniture remains a significant part of American furniture history.Read More →
-
Lithography Don’t Show the Trick, Show the MAGIC
A method of printing from a design drawn directly on a slab of stone or other suitable material. The design is not raised in relief as in woodcut or incised as in line engraving, but drawn on a smooth printing surface. Initially, this surface was provided with a slab of unique limestone, but metal (usually…
-
Regency Tankard – Intricate Low Relief
Regency tankards were made in England during the Regency, 1811-20, with intricate low-relief figures adorning both the body and handle, often depicting scenes from mythology or history. They are highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts as they represent a unique piece of history and artistry.Read More →
-
What is Wrought Iron?
The term “wrought iron” refers to the material rather than the products made of iron. Modern mild steel has supplanted wrought iron, a forgeable ferrous material used up until about the middle of the twentieth century. Because of the extensive forming required during its production—under power hammers and through rollers—it was originally referred to as…
-
Brandewijnskom – Brandy Bowls for Birth ceremonies
Brandewijnskom are antique Dutch bowls, octagonal or oval in shape, with two handles, used in 17th and 18th century childbirth ceremonies. They were filled with grapes and brandy for guests.Read More →
-
Jardiniere Ornamental Stand Definition and Meaning
A jardinière is a large ornamental stand or holder to display potted plants or cut flowers. The jardinière first appearedRead More →
-
Extension Table a perfect design for small spaces
An extension table is a table whose length can be increased by inserting a leaf or leaves. The Pulman Extension Table is made of durable solid wood and can be used in various settings.Read More →
-
Guilloche two banded decorative motif
The guilloche is a decorative element that encircles a line of bosses with two bands or ribbons intertwined. In the British Regency style, it was particularly well-liked and adopted by furniture designers from Renaissance to the Twenties and Fifties.Read More →
-
Mission Furniture – Design Dictionary Term
The term mission furniture was first popularized by Joseph P. McHugh of New York, a furniture manufacturer and retailer. The word mission references the Spanish missions throughout colonial California. The style became increasingly popular following the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.Read More →
-
Ablution basin – Dictionary of Silverware
Ablution basin. A type of basin for holding water intended: (1) in ecclesiastical usage, for rinsing the hands or some object of church plate, such as a chalice; or (2) in secular usage, for rinsing the fingers at the dinner table (sometimes called a rose-water basin). Its founder donated two ecclesiastical ablution basins in 1515-16…
-
Why Is Shagreen Fish Skin Used on Furniture? – Design Term
Shagreen is fish skin used as a veneer to cover furniture and accessories. Also known as galuchat and sharkskin, shagreen is the skinRead More →
-
Fujina – Japanese Folk Pottery
Fujina pottery is made at Matsue, Shimane. 19th-century products include bluish-green tea bowls and white, yellow, or bluish-green domestic pottery. Later urban work promotes folk art.Read More →
-
The Dark Coloured Vases of Amstelhoek Pottery
Amstelhoek was a Dutch pottery founded in 1897 by Willem Christiaan Hoeker. It produced dark-coloured vases and bowls with white in-lays, brown vases with blue decorations and small animal-shaped vases with white inlays on darkgrounds. In 1903 it went bankrupt, but was still producing earthenware until 1907, when it was taken over by the majolica…
-
Anthropometrics, a systematic study of human measurement
Anthropometrics is a systematic study of human measurement that was increasingly used by designers dealing with design issues involving human movement in the decades following WWII. Their implementation of a more analytical and methodical approach to design problems had a lot in common with the techniques studied at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm from…
-
A Closer Look at Abstracta a Construction System
Abstracta is a system for constructing demountable metal cage structures suitable for display and exhibition constructions and other uses, designed by Danish designer Poul CADOVIUS in 1960. Linear elements are sections of tubing cut to module length dimensions, and connectors are starlike castings. It is easy to assemble, take apart, and reuse and is used…
-
What is Fall Front Desk? An Overview
Fall Front Desk – Section of the front face of cabinet, desk or drawer that is hinged at the bottom and can open by falling forward.Read More →
-
What Makes Colonesse Pottery Factory Unique?
Salvatore Colonnese founded Neapolitan pottery in 1834 and 1836, shifting production away from everyday useful ware and towards artistic pieces inspired by English ware and classical Roman pottery. The Colonnese family, Salvatore, his sons, Francesco and Gaetano, and a nephew, Alphonso, made a variety of wares, from drain pipes to hybrid porcelain. Classical myths and…
-
Achilles Shield – Dictionary of Silverware
A silver-gilt convex shield with a sizable central medallion depicting the shield of encrusted iron made by the god Hephaestus for Achilles at Troy, as it is described by Homer in Book 18 of the Iliad. The medallion, which depicts in high relief a figure of the Sun (Apollo) standing in a quadriga (a chariot…
-
Danish Modern – traditional materials, organic shapes
Danish Modern From the 1950s onwards, this term, along with its Scandinavian and Swedish counterparts, was widely used to describe those aspects of Danish design that acknowledged some of the characteristics of Modernism but were distinguished by the use of more traditional materials, natural finishes, organic shapes, sculptural form, and a respect for craftsmanship.Read More…
-
Murrine ancient glass technique – design dictionary
When a glass cane is cut into thin cross-sections, coloured patterns or images created in the cane are revealed as murrine. One well-known design is the flower or star shape, which is known as millefiori when used in large quantities.Read More →
-
Uncovering the History of the Act of Parliament Clock
Pitt’s Act of 1797, which taxed clocks and watches, increased demand for Act of Parliament clocks, which were displayed in public spaces and had large faces with easy-to-read numerals and striking mechanisms.Read More →
-
What is Nottingham Earthenware Pottery?
Nottingham earthenware is English pottery from the thirteenth to the late eighteenth centuries. (The last authenticated piece was created in 1799.) Usually brown, with a faint metallic lustre. Often decorated with lines incised around the piece. Read More →
-
Dovetail – design term
Dovetail is the name for a shape that looks like a dove’s tail and is used in woodworking. Joints are made up of tabs in the shape of a dovetail that fit into holes in the other part. Dovetails are often used to join the corners of cabinet drawers and box shapes.Read More →
-
Anchor Blocks – 19th Century construction toy
Anchor Blocks were a German system of building blocks that were popular as a children’s construction toy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, notably in Europe. Dr F. Ad. Richter in Rudolstadt, Germany, began developing and manufacturing the system in 1879. The concept was based on the FROEBEL block system, which significantly impacted…
-
Achievement – Heraldic Term – Dictionary of Silverware
Achievement is a symbol that only belongs to one family, and can be engraved or enamelled to establish provenance and date.Read More →
-
Ottoman simplicity of sitting
A low seat with a cushion that became popular in the late 1700s. They simplified sitting. READ MORERead More →
-
Partridge Wood – Brazilian Hardwood – Design Dictionary
Brazilian partridge wood is said to have dark streaks that resemble partridge plumage. This timber has a distinctive figure, occasionally with lighter stripes that resemble the markings on a partridge’s wing. It has a trunk diameter of at least 30 inches and grows to a height of 90 to 100 feet.Read More →
-
Acanthus – 📖 Dictionary of Silverware
Regarding silverware, the design can be found on several hollow pieces that are repeatedly employed to create a band around the calyx of the piece. It was a well-known aspect of the RENAISSANCE STYLE, and later of the neo-classical style, the Adam style, and once more the regency style. The leaf, whose form changes over…
-
Academic Style – Dictionary of Silverware
A style of decoration, developed in the United States, based on the copying of earlier English and French styles. The style was in the tradition of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, the designs being precise and academic. It was introduced to flatware in the 1880s, initiated at the Gorham Company and occurs in hollow ware…
More design articles
- Color Index XL: More than 1,100 New Palettes with CMYK and RGB Formulas for Designers and Artists
- Graphic Design: The New Basics: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
- Sketching: The Basics
- Vitamin C: Clay and Ceramic in Contemporary Art
- Amazon Basics Pen Organiser – Pink and White
❤️ Receive our newsletter
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)