I am fascinated by butter pats. Their small size makes it easy to display them in an attractive way. They remind me of a miniature plate or a plate for a child’s tea set.
Many butter pats accompany a set of fine china. Butter pats probably appeared in the nineteenth century. They were used in the Victorian era. Each place setting would include an individual butter pat so each diner could be served a single pat of butter. Some settings would include a Master Butter Plate and from there the individual pats were served. Many restaurants, hotels, ships and railway dining cars used butter pats. Some of these pats featured a logo or an advertisement for their business.
Collectors diligently search for just the right butter pat to add to their collection. Some collectors enjoy searching for pats featuring advertisements. Others may enjoy collecting ones that show floral patterns or feature a theme. Some people will look for butter pats to complete a particular china pattern. If you know someone that loves butter pats it makes for a wonderful gift.
Start your search now and you will have fun and also learn the history of butter pats.
Happy Collecting!
By Nancy on July 23rd, 2010 under China
Tags: Butter Pat, Fine China, Haviland, Victorian | No Comments »