Formal Dinner Etiquette of 1952

A formal dinner setting — From “Your Reference Book of Silver Etiquette” by Emily Post for the Home Decorators Consultants, 1952

The truly formal dinner, the most ceremonious social function that exists, is rarely given by the American hostess of today.In fact, it is safe to assume that the formal dinner is now given only on State occasions in the few remaining great houses of this present day.

All other dinner parties, including the buffet dinner, may, therefore, be classed as informal dinners, regardless of how elaborate they may be. Too few of us have the houses, the servants, or the purses necessary to permit us to follow every last, exacting rule required by the formal dinner. For example: 

At the formal dinner butter is never served; rolls are placed on the tablecloth— never on a bread and butter plate; there must be a footman at least for every four chairs at the table.

However, all the correct rules governing the dinners originate with the formal pattern which is modified to suit the possibilities of each hostess. She may give her dinner parties whatever degree of formality she wishes, or finds practical. — From the Home Decorators Consultants, 1952

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Table Setting – The Napkin

It is no longer good form to put bread or a dinner roll in the napkin– too many embarrassing moments resulted from that custom.

Proper Napkin Placement

The napkin is usually placed at the left of the forks and parallel with them. If the napkin is folded in a square or otherwise folded so that the corners are up, it is placed so that the open corners are toward the plate.

Often one sees the napkin placed on the service plate, but unless space demands this, it is not to be recommended. Service plates are usually of such loveliness that none of their beauty should be sacrificed.

It is no longer good form to put bread or a dinner roll in the napkin– too many embarrassing moments resulted from that custom, for it was most natural, when one was engrossed in conversation, to take up the napkin unthinkingly and discover the roll flying for the regions under the table. – From “The American Woman’s Cookbook,” 1951

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Table Setting — Table Decorations

No table decorations should obstruct the view of the guests (although at large, formal dinners, when the conversation cannot be general anyway, they may be tall). All tall decorations should be narrow (e. g. candles). Avoid over-decoration and inappropriate decorations.

Have in mind a definite plan. Consider carefully the artistic height for your table decorations: table decorations that are too high are awkward, and those that are too low become monotonous to the eye.

No table decorations should obstruct the view of the guests (although at large, formal dinners, when the conversation cannot be general anyway, they may be tall). All tall decorations should be narrow (e. g. candles). Avoid over-decoration and inappropriate decorations. Don't crowd your table or make it look heavy. Discriminate between a formal party and an informal party, and adapt your decorations accordingly.

Keep in mind the color-scheme of your room, and the colors of the food in your menu, and harmonize the color of your table decorations with these.

Adapt your flowers to the type and proportions of your flower-container.

Centerpieces

Centerpieces are of infinite variety, their beauty and distinction being limited only by one's imagination and one's budget. Flowers are still— and probably always will be— the most lovely decoration for the center of the table. The fashion of supporting a few flowers in flower-holders in low silver or glass bowls makes possible simple and very effective arrangements.

Unusual effects may be obtained with central mirrors and with mirrored tables, with fruits, with formal combinations of flowers and fruits, with crystal trees and flowers, with deli- cate figurines, and even with amusing accessories of simple or elaborate kinds. But one must be careful that the designs built with unusual accessories are beautiful and appropriate and not simply bizarre.

Compote Dishes and Candles

To balance the centerpiece, decorative silver or glass-or gold!-compote dishes, two or four in number, are usually placed toward the ends of the table. These dishes, containing bonbons or mints or nuts, may be low, medium, or high, accord- ing to the proportion required by the other table decorations.

Four candles, or more if the table is very large, are used in candlesticks of glass or silver or fine china, and sometimes of pottery for an informal dinner on an Italian or Spanish table. Instead of candlesticks handsome silver candelabra may be placed on each side of the centerpiece.

The candles should be lighted before the guests enter the dining-room, and allowed to burn until they leave the dining- room, even if they stay so long in the dining-room that the candles burn down to their sockets!

The height of the candles should, of course, be adapted to the height of the candlesticks-very tall candles in low stand- ards, and shorter ones in the standard of average height. Low candlesticks with tall slender tapers are interesting and - tive, but their use is more appropriate to informal occasions. Formal functions seem to need the dignity of tall candlesticks.

Candles for formal dinner tables usually are the color of natural wax or, if that is not obtainable, of white. As a matter of fact, many hostesses use candles of this color on their tables for all their parties. Of course colored candles may be used to carry out a decorative scheme, and are festive and appro- priate for special occasions. Candles are now never shaded.— From “The American Woman’s Cookbook,” 1951

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Table Setting — Silver Flatware

Pictured above, “Continental” sized flatware can make plates and dishes look rather dwarfed, compared to smaller, American sized flatware. American flatware over the past 80 years or so, has been about an inch shorter and a bit smaller than its British and European counterparts. This except from the 1951, “The American Woman’s Cookbook” (formerly “The Delineator Magazine Cookbook”) clearly promotes using smaller flatware when entertaining.  —  “The luncheon knife and fork offer the greatest variety of uses. They may be used “around the clock,”for breakfast, for luncheon, for supper, and for certain courses at dinner, such as hors d'oeuvres, entrée, fish, salad, for dishes served in a ramekin, for dishes served at informal entertaining, and for large and small sandwiches. Smaller than the luncheon knife and fork are the tea knife and fork, with their increasingly-recognized number of uses.”

The silver on your table is a declaration of your taste. Whether it is sterling or plate, there is, in an excellent pattern and in the perfect form and proportion of the utensils, an unmistakable aristocracy that gives distinction.

Modern methods of manufacturing silver plate have made it not only durable but beautiful as well. Plated silver ranges from the very durable triple-plated ware, (heavy weight) which lasts a lifetime, through the double plate (medium weight) which has good wearing qualities, to the single plate which is light weight.

When you choose a pattern of silver, examine all the pieces, to be sure that you approve of the shapes of all the pieces, that the pieces are perfectly balanced, that the handles are comfortable to hold, and that the tips of the handles of the knives and forks fit perfectly into the center of the palm of the hand. Find out how long the pattern has been on the market, and, if possible, how long it is to be made, so that you will not suddenly discover that the pattern has been “discontinued.”

Place silver, or flat silver as it is sometimes called, consists of the knives, forks, and spoons necessary for general use at table.

Knives and Forks

The dinner knife and fork, although imposing members of the silver-family, are not the most important members, for their use is limited to the main course of dinner. The luncheon knife and fork offer the greatest variety of uses. They may be used “around the clock,”for breakfast, for luncheon, for supper, and for certain courses at dinner, such as hors d'oeuvres, entrée, fish, salad, for dishes served in a ramekin, for dishes served at informal entertaining, and for large and small sandwiches. Smaller than the luncheon knife and fork are the tea knife and fork, with their increasingly-recognized number of uses.

Butter spreaders are necessary in your first list. Later if you are not content to use the medium size knives and forks or the tea knives and forks for special courses like fish, entrée, salad, and fruit, you may buy fish knives and forks. entree knives and forks, and salad knives and forks (or, if you prefer, individual salad forks,) and fruit knives, or preferably, fruit knives and forks.

Spoons

Accompanying the medium size knife and fork, and of a size between a teaspoon and a tablespoon, is the dessert spoon, the spoon of a variety of uses, from eating soup and cereals, to eating desserts such as pudding and compote of fruit. 

Teaspoons have a great variety of uses, and while these are the first kind of small spoon to be bought you will want to add when you can, orange spoons, bouillon spoons, ice-cream spoons, coffee spoons, five o'clock teaspoons, and iced tea spoons. —From “The American Woman’s Cookbook,” 1951

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Table Setting — The Glass

Goblets are always provided with a foot, however small. The goblet is the dominant member of the “place glass” group, and all glasses of a service take their shape from it, following its contours very closely.

GLASS of late years, an awakening appreciation of the charm of glass has taken place. Perhaps the appeal of glorious color, so striking in this substance, accounts for it. Blue in varying tones was some years ago in wide favor; then amethyst dis placed it. Rapidly came amber, and green, which maintain a deserved respect, because of their adaptability. Rose, canary, sapphire, in quick succession-no color today is unrepresented. Glass is often selected to “go with” certain tones of china.

The hostess with a sense of fitness has a glass service for each of her dinner services. For her severely formal tables she uses glittering crystal, etched or cut, engraved or gold decorated. But there is ample opportunity for her to indulge her love for color to the full, to arrange tables with an eye to the dining-room effects, or to build them according to her own color preferences.

Kinds of Glasses

GOBLET. The goblet is the aristocrat of table glass. In its usual form it is a flaring round bowl resting on a tall slender stem. In certain styles, however, the “stem” becomes a mere button. Goblets are always provided with a foot, however small. The goblet is the dominant member of the “place glass” group, and all glasses of a service take their shape from it, following its contours very closely.

OTHER PLACE GLASS. In addition to the goblet, there may be placed at each cover at least one other glass for the cup or other beverages. At very formal dinners two extra glasses are often placed, but never more.

The shapes and sizes of these supplementary glasses vary as their purposes. On the continent, for example, there is a definite type of glass placed for certain wines. Thus a glass for sherry is differently shaped from one for claret: it is more sharply tapered and considerably smaller.

For the most part the glasses of this type that we see in America are either the claret, or the tall shallow champagne glass. The claret, whose capacity makes it a fine utility glass, is used for almost any kind of cup. On the other hand the tall champagne glass is often placed for its high decorative value. Few glasses are as graceful as this shallow bowl on its slender shaft.

SHERBET. The sherbet glass is a medium depth broad bowl on a short stem. In it are served sherbets, ice-cream, frozen desserts. Much used now, however, for this purpose is the tall shallow champagne glass, perhaps because of its more imposing height and dignity.

HOLLOW STEM CHAMPAGNE. This glass is similar to the tall champagne glass, except that the stem instead of being solid is hollow to the very bottom. While its primary use was for serving champagne, today we often serve in it ginger ale, and other carbonated drinks. The hollow stem releasing a train of sparkling bubbles is picturesque indeed.

FINGER BOWL. The finger bowl is a low broad bowl, variously shaped. It is usually seen without a “foot,” but certain styles have such supports. Finger bowls are fitted with matching under-plates, but their use is optional.

GRAPEFRUIT BOWL. This is a double bowl for chilled food cocktails. It consists of a large bowl on a stem. Within it is placed a smaller “cup” or “lining,” The grapefruit or other cocktail is put in the small cup, and the space is filled with crushed ice. between the cups.

TUMBLER. In its simplest form, a tumbler is simply a glass cylinder with one end closed. But the glass designer does wonders with it. He mounts it on a foot: he shapes its sides in lovely contours: often he makes it angular instead of round.

The sizes commonly used are:

Apollinaris Tumbler. This is a small, narrow tumbler used for liquids that are served in small quantities, such as orange juice, grape juice, mineral water. It is often used for water when space is at a premium, as on breakfast trays, or at bridge tables. It holds about five ounces.

Table Tumbler. Also called water tumbler. It is a low tumbler, containing about ten ounces, and is used to serve water informally, at simple meals. There is also a water tumbler of about the same capacity, but narrower and taller, sometimes called the “Ale tumbler.”

Highball Tumbler. A tall tumbler, used to serve “long drinks,” or iced tea, iced coffee, iced chocolate, and so forth. It holds about 12 ounces.

Iced Tea Tumbler. A normal iced tea tumbler, sufficiently large to contain plenty of ice. Its capacity runs from 14 to 16 ounces.

BESIDES THE PIECES IN GENERAL USE DESCRIBED ABOVE, there are all manner of articles blown for special uses: trays for hors d'oeuvres; salad bowls, salt dips, saucers for berries, and plates of various sizes.— From “The American Woman’s Cookbook,” 1951

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