Garnish

Garnish is an ensemble of several objects (most often furniture, porcelain, or silver items) made in a single artistic style. In porcelain, it can be a dinner service or tea set where the items share common motifs—shapes, decor, painting. In silver, it can be a pair of candelabra, a jug with a tray, or coffee accessories in stylistic unity.

Created in different eras, garnishes reflected the tastes of the time: Baroque ones—heaviness, Classical ones—strictness of lines. Garnishes are valued at auctions because assembling a complete original set is more difficult than acquiring a single item. Particularly curious are "new-made" sets composed of disparate items and passed off as a historical garnish. A complete garnish is a rarity and a collector's pride!