Fork thumbnail 1
Fork thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Fork

ca. 1680 - ca. 1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Germany (made)

This fork handle is made by an unknown artist in Germany or Italy in the late 17th century. The fork prongs are made in England, with London hall-mark for 1879-80 and the maker's mark H.W.D.

The fork handle is of ivory and carved with a group of the Bacchante and fauns. The Bacchante carries a boy-faun on her back, another faun crouches below.

The Bacchante is Bacchus' (Roman god of wine) devotee. Fauns in Roman mythology are the wild, orgiastic and drunken followers of Bacchus, deities of the woods, fields and the rural. They are usually represented as men with tail, ears, horns and legs of a goat.


Object details

Categories
Eating
Accessories
Tableware & Cutlery
Sculpture
Object type
Fork
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Fork
  • Fork Handle
  • Fork
Materials and techniques
Ivory and silver-gilt fork
Ivory
Silver-Gilt
Carving
Gilding
Brief description
Fork, silver-gilt with ivory handle, a female bacchante, handle German or Italian, ca. 1680-1700, prong English, maker H.W.D., 1879-80
Physical description
The fork handle is formed of a female bacchante carrying a baby-faun on her back; she sits on an older faun. There is also a London hallmark for 1879-80 on the fork metal.
Dimensions
  • Whole length: 17.5cm
  • Width: 0.875cm
  • Ivory alone length: 7.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
'H.W.D.' (For the maker's mark on prong)
Credit line
Given by J. H. Fitzhenry, Esq.
Object history
Given by J. H. Fitzhenry, Esq., London in 1903.
Subjects depicted
Bacchantes
Fauns
Summary
This fork handle is made by an unknown artist in Germany or Italy in the late 17th century. The fork prongs are made in England, with London hall-mark for 1879-80 and the maker's mark H.W.D.

The fork handle is of ivory and carved with a group of the Bacchante and fauns. The Bacchante carries a boy-faun on her back, another faun crouches below.

The Bacchante is Bacchus' (Roman god of wine) devotee. Fauns in Roman mythology are the wild, orgiastic and drunken followers of Bacchus, deities of the woods, fields and the rural. They are usually represented as men with tail, ears, horns and legs of a goat.
Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1903, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1907, p. 217
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929 p. 94
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 p. 422
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929, p. 94
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, p. 422, cat. no. 433
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
1281:1, 2, A-1903

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Record createdNovember 20, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O172905/fork-unknown/
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