Not currently on display at the V&A

Knife Handle

c. 1850 (made)
Place of origin

This handle was made in India in the 19th century, with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and the use of abrasive-charged discs that would have been turned on a bow-driven lathe. Decorative handles such as this would have been produced in large quantities, most probably for export to the European market.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Moss agate, cut and polished using abrasives
Brief description
Knife handle, moss agate, deep green patterning in an opaque white body, cut and polished, India, 19th century
Physical description
A polished handle of gently tapering rectangular form with blunted edges and with one end cut square and the other end being rounded. Fashioned in moss agate with green patterning in an opaque white body.
Dimensions
  • 01410( is) length: 90.4mm
  • 01410( is) width: 13.4 & 18.6mm (Note: Widths of narrower (square-cut) & wider (rounded) ends respectively)
  • 01410( is) thickness: 9.10 & 9.55mm (Note: Thicknesses of narrower (square-cut) & wider (rounded) ends respectively)
Object history
This handle was made in India in the 19th century and was formerly in The India Museum in London. It was then transferred to the South Kensington Museum (later renamed The Victoria & Albert Museum) in 1879. 1880 Register Entry: [Room 8. Case .] '01,410 to 01,411. KNIFE HANDLES, two. Grey agate.' (No slip numbers given.)
Summary
This handle was made in India in the 19th century, with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and the use of abrasive-charged discs that would have been turned on a bow-driven lathe. Decorative handles such as this would have been produced in large quantities, most probably for export to the European market.
Collection
Accession number
01410(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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