An epergne is an ornate and elaborate ornamental and functional centerpiece with a tall focal center and smaller branches that surround it. Early French epergnes, dating back to about 1725, were made of silver and branched with small bowls to serve sweets, relishes and fruit. The Victorians mixed their silver with glass. Towards the 20th century, epergnes were made primarily of glass and ceramic and were used for flowers. Fenton and Belleek both dabbled in epergne making from the 1930s to the 1960s.
