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Show Table Efiquco Mas Long HisJory It's easy to take the knife, fork and spoon for granted because we use them so many times each day. Actually, though, these pieces have come down to us only after a long history almost as old as man himself. Below are a few pictorial highlights. Even in pre-historic times, it The first "flatware" actually was found that there were bet- came along after man had dis- ter ways to eat than.with one's covered metals, and how to hands. Primitive man made use ...u tuarn j: A -u of the most easily obtainable ,ork th,em .mto desireud suhaPes- materials such as shells, gourds he early pieces were both cum- or pointed sticks. But far from bersome and extremely heavy, treasuring his table settings, he It; is m so interesting to note wa3 the world's first "litterbug" that in shape, they were sur- abandoning them after his prisingly similar to the cave meal. man's gourds. A relatively crude knife and - The modern place setting is fork for eating had evolved, by typified by refined shapes and the time of the middle ages. numerous specialized pieces. The Pieces were smaller and easier Twentieth Century has made an to handle. But as late as the important contribution to eat- Renaissance, the fork was used ing utensils in the use of stain- only as a server. Meat was less steel, easiest to clean and rtii'j0"1'' mosi durable of a11 metals ever, the knife that often doubled as used. Clean-lined patterns in a weapon! Metals used ere stainless have also set a new expensive and hardto clean. trend i. table-top fashions, |