Knife and Fork thumbnail 1
Knife and Fork thumbnail 2

Knife and Fork

1698 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This set of knife and fork made of ivory, silver and steel are made in Britain in ca. 1698. The ivory handles are decorated in stained red and green ivory with piqué work of floral and arabesque designs. The blade is inscribed with the name of Ricard Rider, which is almost certainly the name of the owner. The cutler's mark of a dagger is probably that of Ephraim How.
Ephrain How and his son John ran a successful and productive cutlery factory. They standardised their designs, employed a large workforce and harnessed local water power. They sold from their shop on Saffron Hill near Clerkenwell in London. Ephraim How became master of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers in 1706.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Knife (Culinary Tool)
  • Fork
Materials and techniques
Steel with stained green and red ivory and silver piqué
Brief description
Knife and fork, ivory, silver and steel, handles with floral and arabesque design, British, London, ca. 1698
Physical description
Knife and fork with carved ivory handles stained red and green and inlaid with silver wire and silver ferrules. The handles are decorated with piqué work of floral and arabesque designs.
Marks and inscriptions
'Ephraim How' [and] the dagger (Cutler's mark)
Credit line
Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest
Object history
Croft Lyons Bequest in 1926.
Summary
This set of knife and fork made of ivory, silver and steel are made in Britain in ca. 1698. The ivory handles are decorated in stained red and green ivory with piqué work of floral and arabesque designs. The blade is inscribed with the name of Ricard Rider, which is almost certainly the name of the owner. The cutler's mark of a dagger is probably that of Ephraim How.
Ephrain How and his son John ran a successful and productive cutlery factory. They standardised their designs, employed a large workforce and harnessed local water power. They sold from their shop on Saffron Hill near Clerkenwell in London. Ephraim How became master of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers in 1706.
Bibliographic references
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 p. 436
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, p. 436, cat. no. 472
Collection
Accession number
M.976&A-1926

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Record createdApril 18, 2005
Record URL
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