What is a Salver?

Somehow, I have collected antiques and bought and sold them for years but never heard cake pedestals referred to as “salvers.” This term comes from England, and you can see the cake stands or pedestals in paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. They were originally used as service trays for wine and usually made of blown glass or silver. The server would carry the glasses on the salver to the guests at the table.

Sometime in the 18th century it became more popular to display pastries and desserts of all kinds on these pedestals. They were often stacked to make tiers desserts often topped off by a glass bowl of fruit. Some pedestals sported glass domes, but most did not.

Glass cake stands first appeared in the United States in the Philadelphia region in the late 1700s and were more likely to be made of pressed glass as opposed to metal or blown glass. Originally made for the wealthy, many glassworks began to make cheaper salvers for the general population.

Cake pedestals remained popular through the 1900s and evolved to be made from all kinds of colored glass and patterns. They came in all shapes and sizes. Many manufacturers made matching pieces such as candlesticks, floral bowls, plates and glasses. Companies such as Fiesta and Pyrex also made many varieties of salvers as well as pottery and metal companies.

If you find three level stands where the trays are the same size, those are referred to as tidbit trays. The use of cake pedestals is still quite popular. The cupcake craze has brought about miniature salvers that will proudly display single confections, although I think the regular sizes are more useful. Salvers are great for displaying all kinds of desserts, and different heights and sizes make for an attractive display.

For the holidays I noticed cake stands being used to display miniature dioramas, which was a great idea. If you decide to collect these beautiful salvers, make sure that they are not chipped or cracked and that the pedestal hasn’t been glued back on. The possibilities are endless!

Happy Collecting!

Jillinda Falen has been buying and selling antiques for over 31 years and is a licensed REALTOR and estate liquidation specialist. You can contact her through the Houston Home Journal or via email at jcfalen@gmail.com.

HHJ News