Antique sterling silver meat covers / food covers / plate covers cloche cloches

Meat covers, also known as dish covers, were designed for covering large platters in order to protect the food and retain the heat. They are usually ovel, matching the typical shape of tha platter, and vary in size from about 30 cm to 60 cm. They are topped by a reeded or foliate handle. While the surface of most are solid metal, there are examples where the outer surface is wholly or partly plated wire mesh. The covers were made in silver, Sheffield plate and silver plate and earlier silver examples date from the mid 1700s. Due to the amount of silver they contain, and consequently their cost, and value if sold for melt, silver covers are vastly outnumbered by plated examples. Sheffield plated examples date from the early 1800s while plated covers are generally from the Victorian era.