Viande or Grille Flatware Sets
was born. Viande is a French word for meat. The term used to describe the style evolved into Grille
which is a variation of the French term for cooked on a grill or broiled.
Another term sometimes used for this style was Vogue.
The viande knife has a longer handle and shorter blade than the conventional design. Saarinen developed the new utensil form for an exhibition of contemporary American design at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He designed a complete dining room in which none of the objects used could already be in production. His prototype for the longer handle of the viande knife came from the idea that it would be more comfortable to hold and use for cutting.
Some silver manufacturers produced grille salad forks and other pieces slightly different from the regular dinner size, but the most distinguishable differences are in the larger forks and knives.
How to tell the difference:
Illustration of a grille knife compared to a dinner/place knife.
Note that the grille or viande knife, measuring 8 1/2 inches, has a much longer handle and shorter blade than the conventional knife.
With some flatware patterns, the total length of each knife is nearly identical with the primary differences as shown.
Illustration of a grille fork compared to a dinner/place fork
These two forks are identical in total length, but this is not always the case. Note the longer handle and
shorter tines on the viande/grille fork.
Throughout the 1930s the viande design was advertised by silver manufacturers as modern
and chic. Few attributed the origin of the design to Saarinen. The viande style faded away in the 1950s-60s. Some collectors today add the viande forks and knives to their flatware services to be used as fish forks and knives, or use as luncheon sets.
When you are puchasing flatware replacements without the benefit of an image, ask
questions beforehand to be sure you are buying the right pieces for your set.