Fish Slice thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Fish Slice

1796-1797 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The middle of the 18th century saw the introduction of a number of novelties, whereas previously the tendency had been to experiment and make do with objects designed originally for other purposes. Amongst these novelties were the ‘Pudding Trowle’ such as the one supplied to the Earl of Kildare by Wakelin in 1745. The ‘trowle’ normally consisted of a triangular blade which was pierced and sawn to various designs; that this should also be used for fish as well as pudding soon became obvious and by the 1770s when it was suddenly fashionable to eat whitebait, a large number were not only fish shaped in outline but also pierced and chased to represent one. The earliest trowels usually had solid silver handles; later turned and stained ivory handles became the rule. By the 19th century a fish slice was supplied with almost every service of table silver (flatware) and the handles were naturally the same pattern as the rest of the plate.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver
Brief description
London hallmarks for 1796-7, marks of Peter and Ann Bateman and Michael Barnett.
Physical description
Silver, pointed blade pierced with a boder of of leaf ornament, the edge has a raised rim; pointed handle.
Dimensions
  • Length: 12in
  • Maximum width: 3.25in
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • London hallmarks for 1796-7
  • Mark of Peter and Ann Bateman (On the blade)
  • Mark of Michael Barnett (On the handle)
Credit line
Given by J. H. Fitzhenry
Object history
Gift - J E Fitzhenry, Esq.
Acquisition RF: Fitzhenry
Subject depicted
Summary
The middle of the 18th century saw the introduction of a number of novelties, whereas previously the tendency had been to experiment and make do with objects designed originally for other purposes. Amongst these novelties were the ‘Pudding Trowle’ such as the one supplied to the Earl of Kildare by Wakelin in 1745. The ‘trowle’ normally consisted of a triangular blade which was pierced and sawn to various designs; that this should also be used for fish as well as pudding soon became obvious and by the 1770s when it was suddenly fashionable to eat whitebait, a large number were not only fish shaped in outline but also pierced and chased to represent one. The earliest trowels usually had solid silver handles; later turned and stained ivory handles became the rule. By the 19th century a fish slice was supplied with almost every service of table silver (flatware) and the handles were naturally the same pattern as the rest of the plate.
Collection
Accession number
178-1908

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Record createdSeptember 10, 2004
Record URL
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