 In the Middle Ages people usually brought their own cutlery with them when eating away from home, and the more expensive types came with their own custom-made leather cases, stamped and embossed in various designs.Later, as cutlery became provided by the host, decorative cases, especially for the knives, were often left on display in the dining-room.Some of the most elegant and often ornate were in the styles of Robert Adam, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton.