Figural napkin rings originated in the United States and were produced for children of the Victorian era. Victorian children were provided with fun and interesting utensils and silver tableware made just for them. Most 19th century silverware manufacturers produced figural napkin rings which often featured animals and children at play.

Shown at left is a Victorian silverplated napkin ring with cherubs.

Anyone with children knows they aren’t very interested in learning boring table manners and we rarely indulge them with fancy table utensils of their own. Victorians may have been smarter about raising children than we are today. Figural napkin rings must have been very entertaining for the children and also made them eager to learn proper etiquette. And it likely kept the children’s imaginations occupied while the adults discussed uninteresting topics at dinner.

Below are silver manufacturer catalog images of silverplate and sterling figural napkin rings.

Below Left: Goat pulling a cart silverplate napkin ring. Right: Child with butterly silverplate napkin ring.

Below Left: Children with chair silverplate napkin ring. It is not immediately obvious this one is a napkin ring. Right: Pair of dogs on either side of this sterling napkin ring.

Below Left: Sterling dog napkin ring. Right: Silverplate ring with girl pulling a cart.

Below Left: Horse and chariot silverplate ring. Right: Boy sterling napkin ring.

Some figural napkin rings, as shown at left, had bud vases attached. The bud base was usually made of enameled glass. Few of these survive.

When I was a child I had my own silver napkin ring, as did my siblings. They were not figural; a bit more modern. Each was a different design and appropriately monogrammed. The napkin rings were gifts from our grandparents who grew up in the late Victorian era and continued to practice most of those traditions throughout their lives. We used our napkin rings daily but I knew of no other family which did the same. Everyone else was either using paper napkins or cloth napkins without a napkin ring. I still have my childhood silver napkin ring but it is on display - never used. Some use napkin rings today moreso for decorative purposes than for function. Victorian children were required to learn how to properly fold a napkin before returning it to rest in the ring.

Adult collectors treasure figural napkin rings but most don’t use them. Some figural napkin rings are extremely desirable. A silverplated cherub napkin ring by Wilcox recently sold for $2,251.

Reed & Barton has a line of Victorian Revival Silverplated Napkin Rings. You can find them here for about $30 each. These are new designs, not reproductions of the original figural rings.

Silversmith Jim Mackie of Art Craft Silversmiths in Portland, Oregon creates replicas of the originals. Visit his web site to see the exquisite collection here.