Dining as an Art
Extensive flatware sets, with their variety of pieces and patterns, proliferated after the Civil War due to changes in the US economy and the dining style of the upper classes. Among the elite in Victorian society, dining was an elaborate ritual that involved a succession of courses - each requiring specialized pieces for serving and for eating. The explosion of new implements related directly to the introduction of exotic foodstuffs or the latest recipes. Hence, terrapin (fresh water turtle) forks, lobster picks, melon forks, ice cream spoons, bon bon forks, olive forks, orange spoons, and asparagus forks were among the new must-haves for fashionable dining.
Tiffany & Co. Vine pattern contains a panoply of place pieces -- some forty different types plus related serving pieces. The effect of opulence is further enhanced by the variety of motifs within the pattern: daisy, gourd, grapevine, iris, morning glory, pansy, peapod, pomegranate, raspberry, wild rose, squash, tomato vine, and wheat. So an elaborate table setting would incorporate diverse design motifs in dynamic combinations reminiscent of the garden.