Fish Slice
1995 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The exuberant monstrous fish handle revels in colour and texture. The head is deeply textured and oxidised beautifully offsetting the smooth reflective gilded mouth and protruding gilt tongue. The eye of blue epoxy is embedded with tiny beads of gold and the teeth are of ivory. The fine detail and intricacy of the menacing fish head contrasts the smooth, clean lines of the blade and fish tail. The blade is pierced with bubbles and lifts in fluted points as it joins the handle creating a wave crest that the fish rides upon. The tail end of the handle is scratch-brushed with a fluked tail and down-curving stand. This daring mix of materials combined in Schremmer's imaginative design has created an exciting, delightfully bizarre piece.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Sterling silver, ivory and bone, stainless-steel screws and plastic eye |
| Brief description | Silver, ivory, bone, stainless steel and plastic, United States, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 1995, mark of Harold Schremmer. |
| Physical description | The polished blade is a rounded triangle with an up-turned right edge and four, up-turned, fluted and pointed cusps at the rear of the blade. The blade is pierced with holes to ressemble bubbles and turns up with a strengthened, fluted lift and enters the body of a monster, fossil fish handle. The head is deeply textured and oxidised and has two features: a bony structure that carries two eyes made of epoxy in which are embedded tiny beads of blue and gold and a large gilded mouth having a large protruding tongue. The mouth is inset with bony lower canines and upper ivory teeth. The head attaches to a two part, scratch-brushed body-handle with a large fluked tail and down curving stand. The server is made up of thirteen separate parts, held by tiny 4-40 stainless, miniature machine bolts. The tongue is secured with three 2-36 bolts. Gold plating is 24 carat and is triple plate and scratch-brush burnished between each layer. The teeth are bezel, tab set. The whole server is demountable. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | THE RABINOVITCH COLLECTION
This collection of silver slices, all commissioned over a period of twenty years by Professor Benton Seymour Rabinovitch FRS, is proof of the skill and diversity of contemporary silversmiths. Each artist craftsman has responded to the familiar functional form of the slice in an individual way, producing an astonishingly diverse range of interpretations. Each piece becomes an enchanting, decorative work of art. Professor Rabinovitch established a close rapport with each artist, always encouraging a freedom of creative expression. The response of these silversmiths has been not only to be strikingly imaginative but also to honour him by giving him their best work.
This collection is testimony to the significant contribution that one individual can make to supporting the craft of silversmithing. After commissioning work from some of the most illustrious names in British and North American silversmithing, Professor Rabinovitch has very generously donated his entire collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum, through the American Friends of the V&A.(2005) |
| Credit line | Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Professor B. Seymour Rabinovitch |
| Object history | Schremmer delights in the contrast of colour and texture. Never before has a silversmith been so bold in the choice and treatment of materials. Intricate workmanship and inventive imagination, given freedom, have produced a modern "grotesque" defined by Peacham in 1612 as "an unnatural or unorderly compostion for delight's sake, of men, beast, birds, fishes, flowers". It combines elements of the Baroque and Arts and Crafts, as well as being undeniably contemporary. Historical significance: The grotesque shape of the fish head of this server was inspired by a fossil found in a German slate quarry. Combining the 13 separate parts was a difficult task, it is held together with stainless steel miniature bolts. Many models and test pieces were needed to create this server. The final piece is at once functional, (the entire piece is demountable for cleaning) and a vibrant expression of the artist's imagination. |
| Historical context | Part of a collection of fish slices commissioned by Professor Rabinovitch from contemporary North American and British makers. |
| Summary | The exuberant monstrous fish handle revels in colour and texture. The head is deeply textured and oxidised beautifully offsetting the smooth reflective gilded mouth and protruding gilt tongue. The eye of blue epoxy is embedded with tiny beads of gold and the teeth are of ivory. The fine detail and intricacy of the menacing fish head contrasts the smooth, clean lines of the blade and fish tail. The blade is pierced with bubbles and lifts in fluted points as it joins the handle creating a wave crest that the fish rides upon. The tail end of the handle is scratch-brushed with a fluked tail and down-curving stand. This daring mix of materials combined in Schremmer's imaginative design has created an exciting, delightfully bizarre piece. |
| Bibliographic reference | Benton Seymour Rabinovitch and Helen Clifford, Contemporary Silver, London, Merrell, 2000, pp.140-41. ill. ISBN. 1858941040 |
| Other number | LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.142-2005 - previous loan number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.115-2008 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | July 10, 2007 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
