Knife Urn
1860-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Knife-cases stored cutlery and were often placed on either side of a sideboard in a dining room, possibly on pedestals. This example and its pair (352A-1870) are in the form of classical vases. Items made in the Neo-classical style of the 1780s were popular as antiques after about 1860. These examples were made as fakes, between 1860 and 1870, but the Museum believed they were genuine when it bought them in 1870.
Materials & Making
The knife-cases are decorated with marquetry of several woods, including holly, sycamore, harewood, ebony and boxwood. The tops of the cases lift up on a central rod to reveal compartments lined with velvet to hold knives.
People
The Museum bought these knife-cases from Murray Marks (1840-1918), a well-known London antique dealer, on the recommendation of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (1805-1877), an eminent architect of his day. Wyatt regarded this pair as 'very elegant in all respects, difficult and good in workmanship'.
Time
About 1860, when these knife-cases were made, furniture veneered in pale wood and marquetry, imitating the style of designs by the 18th-century architect Robert Adam (1728-1792), was fashionable. For example, the London cabinet-making firm Wright and Mansfield exhibited new furniture veneered in such woods at international exhibitions in the 1860s and 1870s. The firm described such furniture as 'Adams style'.
Knife-cases stored cutlery and were often placed on either side of a sideboard in a dining room, possibly on pedestals. This example and its pair (352A-1870) are in the form of classical vases. Items made in the Neo-classical style of the 1780s were popular as antiques after about 1860. These examples were made as fakes, between 1860 and 1870, but the Museum believed they were genuine when it bought them in 1870.
Materials & Making
The knife-cases are decorated with marquetry of several woods, including holly, sycamore, harewood, ebony and boxwood. The tops of the cases lift up on a central rod to reveal compartments lined with velvet to hold knives.
People
The Museum bought these knife-cases from Murray Marks (1840-1918), a well-known London antique dealer, on the recommendation of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (1805-1877), an eminent architect of his day. Wyatt regarded this pair as 'very elegant in all respects, difficult and good in workmanship'.
Time
About 1860, when these knife-cases were made, furniture veneered in pale wood and marquetry, imitating the style of designs by the 18th-century architect Robert Adam (1728-1792), was fashionable. For example, the London cabinet-making firm Wright and Mansfield exhibited new furniture veneered in such woods at international exhibitions in the 1860s and 1870s. The firm described such furniture as 'Adams style'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Marquetry of tulipwood, mahogany, holly, harewood and other woods on a carcase of elm, oak and mahogany |
| Brief description | Knife urn, one of a pair, veneered in tulipwood, mahogany, holly and other woods, some stained. The elongated body is inlaid to imitate fluting; the deep frieze shows delicate arabesques against a ground of holly; the top of the cover is concave and inlaid with a design of downward-facing laurel wreaths and formal motifs, below a carved, pine-cone finial. |
| Physical description | Knife urn, one of a pair, veneered in tulipwood, mahogany, holly and other woods, some stained. The elongated body is inlaid to imitate fluting; the deep frieze shows delicate arabesques against a ground of holly; the top of the cover is concave and inlaid with a design of downward-facing laurel wreaths and formal motifs, below a carved, pine-cone finial. The upper part can be raised on a central shaft to show a mahogany surface which is pierced with concentric slots to hold cutlery and flatware (spoons and forks). |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
These knife-cases are typical of the 18th-century antiques collected in the 1870s and 1880s, although we now know that they must have been almost new when they were purchased. Murray Marks (1840-1918), who sold them to the Museum, was a well known London dealer with a shop in Oxford Street.(27/03/2003) |
| Summary | Object Type Knife-cases stored cutlery and were often placed on either side of a sideboard in a dining room, possibly on pedestals. This example and its pair (352A-1870) are in the form of classical vases. Items made in the Neo-classical style of the 1780s were popular as antiques after about 1860. These examples were made as fakes, between 1860 and 1870, but the Museum believed they were genuine when it bought them in 1870. Materials & Making The knife-cases are decorated with marquetry of several woods, including holly, sycamore, harewood, ebony and boxwood. The tops of the cases lift up on a central rod to reveal compartments lined with velvet to hold knives. People The Museum bought these knife-cases from Murray Marks (1840-1918), a well-known London antique dealer, on the recommendation of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (1805-1877), an eminent architect of his day. Wyatt regarded this pair as 'very elegant in all respects, difficult and good in workmanship'. Time About 1860, when these knife-cases were made, furniture veneered in pale wood and marquetry, imitating the style of designs by the 18th-century architect Robert Adam (1728-1792), was fashionable. For example, the London cabinet-making firm Wright and Mansfield exhibited new furniture veneered in such woods at international exhibitions in the 1860s and 1870s. The firm described such furniture as 'Adams style'. |
| Associated object | 352A-1870 (Pair) |
| Bibliographic reference | Tomlin, Maurice, Catalogue of Adam Period Furniture (London: HMSO for the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1972), cat. no. W/1, p, 190. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 352-1870 |
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 | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
