Can't identify these Lebolt Sterling items

[boysilmet]

I have 2 of these sterling pieces. They look a little like open salts or nut dishes and are about the same size as an open salt, although considerably heavier at about 26 grams each. Each has a little clip on the underside of the rim, beneath the handle-like cutout that reads FST. The FST handle is enclosed by a banner or ribbon that doesn't show up in my picture. I have no idea what these are. Can anyone identify them for me?

[JLDoggett]

They are meant to "clip" on the edge of a plate, and to hold a teacup.

[boysilmet]

That's a good suggestion, but won't work. Both a plate and the unidentified item have rim angles of about 20 degrees, so when the item is clipped to the rim of a plate, it sits at a 40 degree angle relative to the plate. So either the food on the plate would slide off or the cup in the unidentified item would fall out. I've enclosed a picture to demonstrate. Does anyone else have a suggestion?

[JLDoggett]

Did not realize how tiny it is... thinking!

[dragonflywink]

Pretty sure those are combination nut dish - place card holders, have seen similar by other makers...

~Cheryl

[boysilmet]

Nut dishes with place card holders. Excellent! That makes perfect sense. Thank you.

[WarrenKundis]

Good morning all,

Have also noticed that the bowl appears to have a lip where a grate would be placed for butter perhaps. Just trying to look at the logistics of pre-setting flatware, glasses, show plate, napkins, etc for very formal settings. Nuts would come later towards the end of service with cordials, tea, desert. Am basing this on my own experience with formal dinning and banquets but am not familiar with older more traditional forms of service. Ratio of staff to guests is very low, the pace of service much much slower.

Nuts a good possibility, butter seems to make more sense. Just thinking out loud.

Warren

[dragonflywink]

Individual butter pats are shallow for ease in getting a bit of butter on the knife, can't recall ever seeing them with any sort of grate, a drainer just wouldn't be necessary. Can remember Mom using nut dishes in the '60s, they stayed on the table until the end, and twenty-odd years ago, as a free-lance bartender, after prepping my bar would usually help the caterer or club staff set up, there were often nuts placed on the table prior to seating, either in individual dishes/cups at each setting or in larger bowls or compotes, they also remained on the tables throughout.

This excerpt is from a 1916 cooking magazine, showing butter pats and nut dishes, noting their being in place before dinner was announced:



~Cheryl