Dining delight

10 products in the stylish world of tableware

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The earliest dining appliance was a pair of cupped hands. Then came folded leaves; then vessels and utensils shaped from stone, earth and metal. Today, the style, substance and uses of tableware have proliferated beyond imagining — a veritable smorgasbord of rounded, flattened, speared and woven variations on the theme of nourishment.

What follows are several delectable products that recently caught our eye.

THE DESIGNER WHO CRIED WOOLF

The Thursday Night Gatherings tablecloth by Pablo Di Francesco, a London textile designer, is a tribute to soirees held by members of the Bloomsbury Group in the early 20th century. "The colours draw inspiration from their artistic and literary creations," he noted, "celebrating the beauty that emerges during a night shared with good company." The organic cotton tablecloth comes in two sizes and prices: medium for £310 (13,600 baht), and large for £420. Three percent of all profits are donated to local charities; colorsquatters.com.

HEAVENLY METAL