CHINESE EXPORT SILVER SALVER

A large Chinese export silver salver

A salver is a flat heavy tray of silver, other metal or glass used for carrying or serving glasses, cups, and dishes at a table, or for the presenting of a letter or card by a servant.

In a royal or noble household the fear of poisoning led to the custom of tasting the food or beverage before it was served to the master and his guests; this was known as the assay of meat and drink, and in Spanish was called salva.

The verb salvar means to preserve from risk, from the Latin salvare, to save.
The term salva was also applied to the dish or tray on which the food or drink was presented after the tasting process.

This salver has  fierce dragon engraved on the plate of the salver against a lightly hammered background

The border has four more dragons appled to again the lightly hammered surface

In Chinese culture, five dragons symbolize different aspects of the world and are often associated with Feng Shui.

They can represent the five directions (North ,South ,East, West and Centre). Also the five elements (earth, water , fire, wood and metal) 

The very edge of the border has been worked with the bamboo motif –a symbol of virtue, representing virtues like honesty, humility, and loyalty

And remembering the original use for salvers – a great tasting plate!

Fine condition