The first plates appeared in the Neolithic Period, about 9500 years BC. They were made of clay and had a hemispheric shape. They were convenient when held in hands. The plates were also decorated.
Decorative art flourished in ancient Greece, where ceramics were made with the help of a potter's wheel. Then plates were burned and glazed. After that, artistic drawings were applied.
The tradition of creating clay plates continued in ancient Rome and now these ancient plates hold an archaeological value. They had very realistic plots that depicted the Roman daily life scenes. Such plates made it possible for archeologists to reconstruct the Roman way of and even the history of our distant ancestors. The plates` images depicted mythology, hunting scenes, written legal rules and wise thoughts expressed at that time. Archeologists think that it was very convenient to eat from the Roman glazed ceramic plates. Plates did not absorb liquids and odors and kept food warmth. Ceramics made following the Roman technology is popular nowadays. The Romans also created the first precious plates. However, golden and silver plates were used for serving food. They served only as elements of interior décor.
In 600 BC, the Chinese began to make plates of porcelain. They kept the manufacture technology secret for a long period of time. Handmade porcelain plates were valued as gold and were available only to the richest European houses. The plates were very durable. They were fire and humidity resistant. Chinese porcelain plates could be stored for centuries.
Unfortunately, the early Medieval European civilization did not inherit the art of the ancient Roman predecessors. In XIV-XV centuries food was served on wooden and tin dishware. The plates were not available for every individual. Family members had to pick the food pieces from a large serving plate. These plates were only square. The round-shaped appeared a century later. In the 18th century, the Chinese technique was first repeated by a German by the name of Meissen, the father of European porcelain.
In the 11th century the first porcelain plate appeared in Russia. Before that, common people served their food wooden plates and the nobility used only silver and golden dishware. Since the late Medieval times porcelain dishware completely replaced its wooden counterparts. Porcelain, glass and ceramic dishes are still popular to this day. Today, however, plastic is considered the most popular material because it is light, unbreakable and cheap.
If you want to collect a full dishware set you need to know the purpose of every dish. This knowledge will be essential for you if you intend to serve a festive table. Many noble houses teach their heirs the art of serving table well. This is considered to be an important knowledge for the young gentlemen and ladies, along with the rules of etiquette.
Regular sets consist of the most common plates. Among them are deep dinner soup plates, second course plates and dessert plates. In St-Petersburd Global Trade House our bestselling Luminarc and Arcopal sets also include a deep and small salad bowl and a large soup bowl. Consider the following information about the most common dinnerware.
A dinner plate is a shallow plate of a large diameter, approximately 9.8-11.8’’ (25-30 cm). A dinner plate is intended for serving the main course and side dishes.
A soup plate is designed to serve the first course. Depending on the depth, soup plates are used to serve pasta or soups. Often, these plates have a diameter of 7.9-11.8’’ (20-25 cm) and a volume of 8.5-10.1 fl oz (250-300 ml).
A dessert plate is designed to serve desserts and fruits. Its diameter is usually 7.1-7.9’’ (18-20 cm).
There are, however, more rare plates that are the best choice for your holiday table. Most of these plates types are offered in our store as well. Here are several types of this rarer dishware.
Snack plates are small, round and have a diameter of 7.1-8.3`` (18-21 cm). They are used for serving cold snacks.
A broth bowl is a small deep plate. Its capacity is not larger than 10.1 fl oz (300 ml). It is used to serve first courses, cream soups, desserts, oatmeal and puree.
A pastry plate is a large flat serving plate that is used for serving toasts, sweet pastry and croissants. The diameter of this plate is 6.3-7.1’’ (16-18 cm).
A fish plate has a very unusual design. It is flat and has an oblong shape to become suitable for serving all kinds of fishes. A herring plate has a smaller diameter. It is used only for serving herring and canned fish that are served as cold appetizers, not as main dishes.
An ice-cream bowl will look very elegant on your table. Various desserts, fruits, ice cream and jelly are served in it. Many dinnerware manufacturers decorate the leg on which this bowl stands.
Plates and bowls are manufactured from various materials. Each of them has specific properties.
Earthenware dishes create a beautiful accent in your home design. Earthenware is a type of pottery that is made of clay and is fired to a porous state. Earthenware items are often glazed. Earthenware dishes and bowls are very popular in folk crafts and are often decorated with ornaments. Earthenware dishes are inexpensive and beautiful. They are, however, fragile. In St-Petersburg Global Trade House we offer beautiful folk crafted earthenware dishes, pots and bowls.
Porcelain is an eco-friendly and durable material. It is often used for manufacturing dishware because it is elegant, durable and hard to crack material. Porcelain is either show-white or has a distinct color. Grey or bluish shades or blurry colors are the results of poor manufacturing technology. In St-Petersburg Global Trade House we offer Russian porcelain of the highest quality. Imperial Porcelain, Gzhel and Dulevo are our bestselling brands.
Glass is a very popular and versatile dinnerware material. It will never be damaged when heated in microwave or oven. You can clean the glass dishware in a dishwasher. Our new brand, Luminarc, manufactures unique, impact-resistant glass. In St-Petersburg Global Trade House we offer separate glass dishes and bowls, as well as large dinnerware sets.
