Fish Slice
1999 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The innovative design of this server stems from the fertile imagination of a jeweller. Unencumbered by the long tradition of silver flatware, Mina has approached the brief from a refreshingly new perspective. The elegant simplicity of a folded sheet forms both functional blade and useful handle. Although the design solution is excitingly simple, the attention to detail in texture and finish make it a gorgeously rich sculptural piece. The roll of the silver captures the motion of a wave, where silky smooth depths are contrasted by the pattern of the surface spray. The single moonstone focuses the eye and evokes the iridescence of fish scales and the glint of sun on sea.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, the underside cross roller printed, set with a moonstone |
| Brief description | Silver set with a moonstone, London hallmarks for 1999, mark of Jacqueline Mina |
| Physical description | The server is fabricated from a contoured quadrilateral silver sheet. An under-edge area is cross-roller printed with a stylized shoal of fish that displays matte and shiny detail. This patterned part is rolled over so as to fashion a scoop with a bevelled leading edge. Interesting contrast is provided between the patterned surface and the finely hammered surface underneath. A drop-shaped moonstone is applied to the upper edge. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | 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 | Fairfax House Fish & Cake Slice exhibition RF.2004/419 |
| Historical context | Part of a collection of fish slices commissioned by Professor Rabinovitch from contemporary North American and British makers. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The innovative design of this server stems from the fertile imagination of a jeweller. Unencumbered by the long tradition of silver flatware, Mina has approached the brief from a refreshingly new perspective. The elegant simplicity of a folded sheet forms both functional blade and useful handle. Although the design solution is excitingly simple, the attention to detail in texture and finish make it a gorgeously rich sculptural piece. The roll of the silver captures the motion of a wave, where silky smooth depths are contrasted by the pattern of the surface spray. The single moonstone focuses the eye and evokes the iridescence of fish scales and the glint of sun on sea. |
| Bibliographic reference | Benton Seymour Rabinovitch and Helen Clifford, Contemporary Silver, commissioning designing collecting, London, Merrell, pp.74-5. ill. ISBN.1858941040 |
| Other number | LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.94-2005 - previous loan number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.67-2008 |
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| Record created | May 12, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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