Cabaret service

Cabaret service (ca. 1865)

The term cabaret service (also known as dejeuner service[1]) is used to designate small tea or coffee services. A typical cabaret service includes (in addition to cups and saucers[1]) a teapot or a coffeepot (with a lid and occasionally a stand[2]), a sugar bowl, a creamer, sometimes a tray[3][4] and cutlery.[5] In the 18th century a spoon boat was frequently a part of the set.[6] The tea- and coffeepots are small (one pint in a service for two, so called tête-à-tête, half a pint in a solitaire service for one),[3] the cups and saucers are frequently also smaller than the ones in the regular sets.[1] Tête-à-tête services were popular as wedding gifts.

The cabaret services originated in France, where the tea drinking was not ritualized, and thus small-scale arrangements for one or two were appropriate.[7] The cabaret services characteristically utilized unusual designs and extensive decorations,[4] this "jewel-like" appearance hints at marketing oriented towards ladies.[7]

In the 18th century silver (gilded) cabaret services with fitting cases were made for travel.[5]

References

1. Edwards 2017, p. 188.
2. Edwards 2022, p. 71.
3. MFA, Boston. "Five-piece coffee and tea set for one". mfa.org. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
4. Edwards 2017, p. 269.
5. Boger & Boger 1957.
6. George Savage; Harold Newman (1985). "spoon-tray". In John Patrick Cushion (ed.). An Illustrated Dictionary of Ceramics: Defining 3,054 Terms Relating to Wares, Materials, Processes, Styles, Patterns, and Shapes from Antiquity to the Present Day. Thames and Hudson. p. 270. ISBN 978-0-500-27380-7. OCLC 12938517.
7. Hildyard 1999, p. 69.

Sources

• Edwards, Howell G.M. (27 March 2017). Swansea and Nantgarw Porcelains: A Scientific Reappraisal (PDF). Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-48713-7. ISBN 978-3-319-48713-7. OCLC 1005816953. S2CID 194409256.
• Edwards, Howell G.M. (5 May 2022). Welsh Armorial Porcelain: Nantgarw and Swansea Crested China (PDF). Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-97439-8. ISBN 978-3-03-097439-8. OCLC 1314428647. S2CID 248520004.
• Hildyard, R. J. C. (1999). European Ceramics. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-3505-0. OCLC 1034665423.
• Boger, Louise Ade; Boger, H. Batterson, eds. (1957). "Cabaret". The Dictionary of Antiques and the Decorative Arts: A Book of Reference for Glass, Furniture, Ceramics, Silver, Periods, Styles, Technical Terms, Etc. Scribner. p. 74. OCLC 1019976310.