Chafing Dish ca. 1725 Peter Van Dyck Originally a continental form, the silver chafing dish appeared in England by the fifteenth century. These vessels were more frequently made in copper, brass, iron, or pewter than in silver. Consisting of a pierced bowl with a removable grate, three scrolled knops to support a plate or bowl, and a wood baluster-form handle, the standard eighteenth-century model was fueled by hot coals. The initials S” over I S” engraved beneath this chafing dish are those of the original owners, John Schuyler (1705-1773) and his first wife, Sara Walter (1704-1734), who were married on January 20, 1729.. Chafing Dish 1537