Centrepiece

Under a table centerpiece is defined as a part of the ceremonial dishes, which usually has a purely decorative function.

Centrepieces developed from the early modern period. The centerpiece " is a French invention of the 1690s, which was very soon imitated in other places. " This very elaborate work, which may also consist of an ensemble of objects were usually made of silver, were often partially gilded or decorated with enamel work. It also likes rare and perceived as exotic materials such as ivory, Nautilusgehäuse, Seychellennüsse or snake tongues were (these are fossilized shark teeth ) processes. The so-called Natternkredenzen should show next to the decorative function even if standing near her food poison contained, as they began after the popular belief in the vicinity of toxins to sweat.

Popular motifs were going ships, wells, forts or fantastic and tropical animals. In the 18th and 19th century materials have been added, such as bronze and porcelain. In the period of historicism centrepieces can achieve significant scale and be designed as a monument by way of towering structures. As part of the ceremonial dishes were and are often representative character and were often ad hoc basis created or used. An example of this would be the decorative panel at the annual conference organized by the Foundation House Maritime Schaffermahlzeit in Bremen, where the centerpieces of small sculptures - made ​​of silver - Sail boats under full sail, rowing boats on the high seas. Only with the reform movements in the applied arts in 1900 the monumental centerpiece was replaced by the Jardinière, those elongated elongated or oval flower bath that brings flowers and fresh green in the table decoration and the preference of those years for floral motifs particularly corresponded.