Gent’s Tabletop Novelties of 1882

A gilded age, sterling menu card holder, in the form of a stag’s head — “For gentleman's dinner parties menu cards painted by hand are in vogue, representing some very realistic part of the preparations for the entertainment. Upon one, the cook in cap and apron, is tossing a pancake, on another the butler has just drawn the cork, and so on through the series.”

Much amusement is derived at some popular dinners from the cards which indicate the seats of guests. They are of endless variety, are often printed expressly to order, and contain witty illusions or satirical pictures. The newest are mounted upon ribbons of bright colors, about 3 inches wide, which are fringed out at the edges, and upon the center of which is a painting is either executed upon the material itself or upon a tinted card.

For a recent farewell bachelor dinner, on the eve of a wedding, such cards, made expressly to order by Tiffany, each one being reserved for a special guest as a memento of the occasion, cost $3 a piece. For hunting dinners floral decorations assume characteristic shapes, and a rabbit, hare, or game of some kind appears in emblematic form upon the table. Novel napkin rings are made of flowers, wired into shape and placed upon the serviette. although they serve no useful purpose they are ornamental.

For gentleman's dinner parties menu cards painted by hand are in vogue, representing some very realistic part of the preparations for the entertainment. Upon one, the cook in cap and apron, is tossing a pancake, on another the butler has just drawn the cork, and so on through the series. For ordinary dinners, menu cards are upon tinted Bristol board, and the newest card style is to have a vignette on one corner, date and place of the entertainment occupying the other. This is on single cards, but those referred to above are double and are intended to be laid opposite the plate of the guest.— New York Times, 1882

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