Wedding Knife and Fork
mid 17th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Originally it was customary for a pair of knives to be given as part of a bridal trousseau. Later on, a matching knife and fork was given instead. The practice of giving knives first started in England during the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47), but the custom has longer traditions on the Continent. Marriage contracts in the mid 14th century record the ‘attest of knife’. This practice derived from the convention of presenting a purchaser with a knife when conveying property.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Amber handles with steel blade and tines, encrusted silver gilt ferrules and gilt brass caps |
| Brief description | Wedding knife and fork, steel with amber handles, North East German, perhaps Stolp, mid 17th century |
| Physical description | The clear amber handles are carved with the heads of a man on the knife and a woman on the fork. The lengths of the handles are carved in low relief with bands of cabling. Steel tangs covered in gold-coloured foil run through the centre of each, with a gilt brass cap finial. The gilt steel ferrules are encrusted in silver gilt with a pattern of stylised scallops. The balde of the knife is marked with a crescent above a cross on its side. |
| Credit line | Alfred Williams Hearn Gift |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Originally it was customary for a pair of knives to be given as part of a bridal trousseau. Later on, a matching knife and fork was given instead. The practice of giving knives first started in England during the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47), but the custom has longer traditions on the Continent. Marriage contracts in the mid 14th century record the ‘attest of knife’. This practice derived from the convention of presenting a purchaser with a knife when conveying property. |
| Bibliographic reference | Trusted, Marjorie. Catalogue of European Ambers in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985. 119 p., ill. ISBN 0948107138. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.99&A-1923 |
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| Record created | February 2, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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