What is the purpose of the knife rest? It was invented in the late 17th c to prevent a dirty knife from getting food on a table or table cloth, particularly between courses. It reached the height of popularity during the Victorian & Edwardian periods, and were mostly found on the well outfitted tables of the wealthy.
Just as utilitarian as decorative, the knife rest deserves consideration for your modern table. Use them and you will find it is much more comfortable to place a knife on the rest, while eating, than to put it on the edge of the plate. How many times has a knife slipped off your plate loudly & unexpectedly? Or, has your knife slid silently into your mashed potatoes (or Quinoa, depending upon your taste) so that the handle is now gooey with food? The knife rest easily solves that problem for you and your guests.
Some of our clients collect different pairs of knife rests & enjoy their collection when entertaining a group. We try to keep a good selection on hand, so feel free to contact us if you want a larger set.