Do you happen to have a little nook in your homestead where you have always dreamed about creating a tavern look? If so this next offering may be just what you are looking for because all that is required is a small table located in a quaint area of your home.
This tavern table setting includes the Britannia plate, hand baked "hard tack", silverware, napkin and an old snuff bottle filled with bold turkey feathers and offers an instant early look anywhere of your choosing.
The plate offered was manufactured by "Carson Castings" of Freeport, Pennsylvania that was realized by Harry Carson, Sr. back in "1970". Their motto was "all products should be exceptional in design and quality for excellent value". This plate depicts an early design and is comprised of an aluminum alloy casting that some consider to be pewter. Britannia metal is considered to be very similar to pewter and may also hold true in the manufacturing of this plate. As there are discrepancies regarding if this plate is pewter or not, I cannot say definitively either way but what I can tell you is there are some casting imperfections that lend a delicious primitive look.
Image 6 shows a couple hollow, pinhole spots that were the end result when this piece was cast. The rim is not perfectly round as there are slight indentations which add charming character. The color of the plate is not as dark as pewter but does have a quiet, muted silver appearance. It is heavy and made to last! There are no scratches to be found and the plate is in very good condition.
The concept of "Hard Tack" dates back to the civil war period and was known as a common food source, i.e. mainstay for solders during the war. Unfortunately, these crackers became very hard over time and you could actually break a tooth from eating them hence the name. You will receive six pieces of freshly baked "Hard Tack" in various sizes as pictured in image 2. Please Note ~ the hard tack offered is for decorative purposes only.
A three tined fork and knife boasting wooden handles with three set rivets compliment this plate with ease. The knife is marked "Brandon Cutlery Co" as referenced in image 9 and has a silver cap located at the bottom however the fork lacks this feature. I cannot seem to find any history on this company but can attest these pieces are comprised of carbon steel which predates "1920". The fork has some light surface rust located on the tines as shown in images 7 & 8 and the back of the knife has a burn mark located directly in the middle but the wood is intact.
The napkin placed underneath the flatware is one piece of contemporary calico fabric folded in half and drawn together in the middle with aged string. The rich chocolate brown ground is a perfect complement to the buttermilk colored leaves.
An old brown glass snuff bottle makes a cozy home for the four (4) real turkey feathers and completes this early look. The bottle is in good condition without any chips or cracks to report.
This interesting gathering will add enticing "tavern charm" to any homestead instantly! You can build onto this decorating idea with possibly acquiring a deck of old playing cards along with dice that will add notable whimsy to this gathering. A pewter mug or tankard would also make a great addition to this grouping. As always have fun and enjoy!
The plate measures 8" across and stands almost 1/2" Tall. The fork measures 7 1/4" Long and 1/2" across. The knife measures 8 3/4 Long and the blade is 3/4" across while the handle is 1/2" across. The calico leaf patterned napkin stands 6 1/4" tall and measures 3" @ the widest point. The snuff bottle with feathers stands a generous 13 1/4" Tall. The bottle itself stands 4 1/4" tall, measures 1 1/4" across the top opening and 2 1/8" across the bottom. The feathers vary in size from 13" tall and the smallest measures 6 1/4" Tall. They also measure 2 1/4" to 1 3/4" across.
