Fish Fork

If there is a fish course, this small fork is placed to the left of the dinner fork because it is the first fork used.

* The special fish fork with a flattened first time and the silver knife with pointed end and saw-tooth edge, used for no other purpose than eating fish, are a needless extravagance in most families, and are therefore seldom included in bride's silver chest.

Dinner Fork

The largest of the forks, also called the place fork, is placed on the left of the plate. Other smaller forks for other courses are arranged to the left or right of the dinner fork, according to when they will be used.

* The dinner or large fork is essential for the meat course at dinner, also for meat served at lunch, and it can also be used in place of a serving fork

Salad Fork

If the salad is served after the entrée, the small salad fork is placed to the right of the dinner fork, next to the plate. If the salad is to be served first, and fish second, then the forks would be arranged (left to right): salad fork, fish fork, dinner fork.

Service Plate

This large plate, also called a charger, serves as an underplate for the plate holding the first course, which will be brought to the table. When the first course is cleared, the service plate remains in place for any other courses, such as a soup course, until the plate holding the entrée is served, at which point the two plates are exchanged. The charger may serve as the underplate for several courses which precede the entrée

Dinner Knife

The large dinner knife is placed to the right of the dinner plate.

* The large or dinner knife has a steel — now almost always stainless — blade and is used only for the meat course at dinner (whether this be served in the evening or in the daytime).

Fish Knife

The specially shaped fish knife goes to the right of the dinner knife.

Soup Spoon or Fruit Spoon

If soup or fruit is served as a first course, then the accompanying spoon goes to the right of the knives.

Oyster Fork

If shellfish are to be served, the oyster fork goes to the right of the spoons. Note: It is the only fork ever placed on the right of the plate.

Water Goblet

The water goblet is the easiest to position. As it is normally the largest glass on the table, it is placed on the left of the line-up. If the service is mismatched, it may have no stem or be smaller than the wine glasses. In this case, it should be placed on the far right.

Red Wine Glass

Wine glasses are arranged in order of size, from the largest to the smallest. In general, glasses for red wine are larger than those for white wine.

White Wine Glass

Wine glasses are arranged in order of size, from the largest to the smallest. In general, glasses for white wine are smaller than those for red wine, and so they are placed to the right of the red wine glass.