Etiquette Tidbits from the 1930’s

       

A gilded age, combination olive serving spoon and fork, circa 1880. – “If there is no olive spoon on the serving plate, the dinner guest may take olives with the fingers.”

Water and beverage glasses at the dinner table should never be more than three-fourths full. – 1937

Never extend or “crook” the little finger when holding a tea or coffee cup. – 1936

The word “personal” should never appear on an envelope. The notation "please forward’’, however. is perfectly correct. – 1937

A young woman who sends flowers to a person who is ill should include her visiting card, writing a brief message above the name-line. – 1937

When a man is not sure whether the occasion calls for a tuxedo or full dress clothes, he should wear the swallow-tail. – 1937

Sport clothes now are considered standard dress for auto travel. – 1938

During bidding, a bridge player should not call his partner’s attention to the score. The host or hostess at a bridge party should explain all rules of progression before play is begun – 1938

If there is no olive spoon on the serving plate, the dinner guest may take olives with the fingers. – 1938

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Table Setting — Serving Utensils

 

Whereas most early Olive Servers had both a fork and a spoon on opposite ends, by 1950, most manufacturers were selling one silver olive serving fork or serving spoon.

 

A List of Useful Serving Utensils

• 2 or 3 Tablespoon’s
• 2 or 3 Dinner Forks (for serving)
• Medium size Carving Set (or steak set) 2 pieces (or large size carving set) 
• Butter Knife or Butter Pick
• Gravy Ladle
• Sugar Tongs Pie or Tart Server, long and flat Cold Meat Fork
• Olive Spoon (pierced) or Olive Fork
• Berry Spoon. A very convenient serving-spoon which can be used in serving berries, large vegetables, casserole dishes, and puddings
• Jelly Server, for jelly, marmalade, honey, etc.
• Preserve Spoon 
• Long Handled Fork and Spoon, for serving salad from a central bowl
• Pickle Fork, usually two-tined
• Pierced server, usually called a tomato-server, useful in serving sliced tomatoes, fritters, poached eggs, sliced pineapple, etc.
• Salad Dressing Ladle, smaller than gravy ladle. Can also be used for serving whipped cream.
• Lemon Fork
• Asparagus Server
• Entrée Server, wide and flat
• Cake fork
• Sardine Server
• Ice Tongs
• Ice Spoon
• Sugar Spoon
• Sugar Sifter for powdered sugar 
• Ice-cream Knife or Ice-cream Server
• Cheese Server
• Melon Knife
• Grape Scissors

—From, “The American Woman’s Cookbook,” 1951

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia