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I have a secret. I hoard collect antique silverware. There’s something so charming about using mismatched antique silverware to put together place settings. Many times when I am buying antiques in Europe, I find fantastic sets of forks, and spoons. But often, no knives.
Do you want to know why? Long ago, while it was perfectly acceptable, desirable even, to “gift” silver flatware to new brides on their wedding day, giving knives was considered bad luck. Very bad luck. For the friendship of the giver and the bride and groom. So newly wedded couples bought their own knives, often in a mismatch pattern.
Only for those of you who adore tables with personality and patina, this glorious set for six, French antique flatware with those wonderfully “mismatched” knives.
Most of the knives, forks and spoons I love {and sometimes sell, with the accent on the sometimes} have a matching fork and spoon, and totally different knives. J’adore!
Each place setting has a unique combination of flatware with a knife of a different pattern, making the table all that much more welcoming!
Find some of the currently available antique and vintage flatware….and set tables with a huge personality this season!
{PIN to your boards!}
Are you game for setting your tables with mismatched forks, knives and spoons?
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com.
Anything silver is just marvelous- even better if antique !
Diane, I agree! I’ve never really met a piece of silver I didn’t love, with a few, very few, exceptions!
I agree with you 100% on the mixing of silver patterns it keeps the table so interesting and is also a good conversation starter! Your place settings are lovely 🙂
Thank you Pam…you are so right, it DOES keep the table interesting. YOUR tables always look amazingly interesting. xo
I love the back story of “why” not many knives!!! And , of course, the idea of A BEAUTIFUL MIX is delightful!!!
Beautiful photos!!!
Thank you Carol Anne…happy table setting!
So, so beautiful…such an amazing collection and love that they are all different…gorgeous presentation as always!
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!!!
I too ADORE and collect…………always looking for a K monogram.
Off to see if you are selling on that link?
I adore SETTING A TABLE………………
XX
I was burglarized some time ago…….all my sterling and family jewelry was stolen. I began rebuilding my flatware with pieces I like……nothing matches!!!!! I love it this way. I had never heard the adage about the knives; interesting! I just hope my grand daughters will love this custom as much as I have. If not, they will have to get their flatware elsewhere……this is all I have got. I find it is much more interesting than sets…….as a matter of fact I really don’t enjoy sets of anything, if there are more than two of the same!
Oh Victoria, I’m so sorry about the burglary…ugh. We were burglarized a while ago and some of my family jewelry was taken, and that is heart breaking, I know. But what a great attitude you have, inspirational! And now you have the joy of building up a whole new collection, I love it! I love mix match sterling, and especially unusual sterling pieces like ice cream spoons etc. I managed to purchase so many on my last buying trip for the shop that I actually had some “left over” {:) } to sell too. xo
If you give scissors or knives as a gift, in order to not sever the friendship you must include a coin.
Lidy!
I love collecting (hoarding) silver flatware and all kinds of silver pieces!
Love to use my family sterling set for special occasions. Now I use lots of vintage pieces on my website because they photograph so well and are so beautiful!
Gorgeous pieces Lidy!
What a nice collection you have! I have collected silver plate and silver over the years. Most mismatched and I never mind setting the table like that. I was also able to score a full set for next to nothing which I keep at the lakehouse. I have too much but I can’t stop!!
Jane
What an interesting fact about the knives and gifting.
I get it, I love the look of mismatched vintage silver as well.
Lidy! Bonjour! I am so happy to come to your blog; it has been so long since I’ve been here and as beautiful as it was back when, it sure is amazing now! I loved reading about why you don’t often find knives to match the forks and spoons! I have either found a group of knives but never the whole set. Your shoppe is divine.
Thank you for coming by today to leave me a comment and for visiting Vicki’s blog! How fun it’s been all week to be featured on her beautiful blog. And yes, I have a feeling if we lived close by, we’d be out antiquing or getting into some creative project together!!
Have a super weekend dearest Lidy! Anita
Love your collection on your website, Lidy! I hadn’t heard about that custom. I too, have tried to grab silver whenever the price is right, never thought about the shortage on knives, though!!
Such an amazing collection and the story is quite unique. Silver is so beautiful, especially antique designs. I think mix and match is perfectly elegant. Your blog is lovely.
Hi, Lidy,
I have some old silver spoons and use them everyday and love them so pretty with all the engravings of flowers and even ladies, makes you think where they were before and the stories they could tell, just like my dish’s and all my beautiful dolls and other things there are reasons why they call to us, love them Yours are so nice, thanks for sharing. Have a great week~~~~~~~~~~~
Jean, Ca~~~~~~~~~~