Tableware, or vessels used for serving food, has been known for centuries. They were made from various materials – wood, clay, stone, and metal. The form of most of them has remained unchanged since their creation, but new ones emerged in different eras, driven by changes and developments in cuisine on the one hand, and changes in customs, particularly in the culture of serving food on the other. The greatest diversification of tableware, which began earlier, occurred in the 19th century. Separate vessels appeared not only for different dishes but also for different types of dishes, such as soup plates, main courses, breakfast plates, dessert plates, cake plates, and others. It is not entirely certain when the first tableware sets, or sets of dishes with the same decoration and shape, appeared, but examples from the Renaissance are known. These were made of metal, faience, or majolica, as porcelain was not produced in Europe, and Far Eastern porcelain, known in China and Japan since antiquity, was very expensive and difficult to obtain. European porcelain was invented in the early 18th century, and it was from it that increasingly beautiful and elaborate tableware began to be produced, initially for the wealthiest, due to its affordability. Over the years, more and more factories were established, and porcelain became cheaper, eventually becoming accessible to everyone. To this day, porcelain remains the main material used in tableware, whether for dinner, coffee, tea, or desserts.
