From Court to Cocktail: Antiques of the Table

From ceremonial vessels to glamorous Art Deco cocktail shakers, this exhibition explores how rituals of dining and entertaining have shaped culture and craftsmanship across centuries.

Across civilizations, the table became a stage for ritual, diplomacy, celebration and display, reflecting the values and ambitions of the societies gathered around it. From Court to Cocktail: Antiques of the Table traces this rich history through extraordinary works of silver, crystal and ceramics, revealing how objects of dining and drink evolved alongside global trade and changing ideas of luxury.

Beginning with early vessels used in communal drinking traditions, the exhibition moves through the rise of coffee and tea as forces of international exchange, the elaborate spectacle of Georgian and Victorian entertaining and the glamorous cocktail culture of the Jazz Age. Featuring exceptional works ranging from an Elizabethan silver coconut goblet and a Paul Revere coffee pot to Tiffany flatware and whimsical Art Deco barware, the exhibition highlights the artistry, symbolism and craftsmanship that transformed the rituals of the table into enduring expressions of identity.

Daily Exhibition Talks will take place at 2pm on Friday. 6/19 & Saturday, 6/20