Knife and Fork thumbnail 1
Knife and Fork thumbnail 2
+1
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Metalware, Room 116, The Belinda Gentle Gallery

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Knife and Fork

1690-1710 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Ivory was a favoured material for decorative carving on tankards, caskets and cutlery. Carved ivory employed the techniques of sculpture and was fashionable for gentlemen who wished to demonstrate their worldliness and wealth. These handles have three ‘putti’ (children) among bunches of fruit. The subject is called ‘Kinderbacchanal’ in German.
Knives have been used since prehistoric times, but the history of knives, forks and spoons for eating in Europe probably commenced in the fourteenth century, and their use became accepted by the sixteenth century. Until the late seventeenth century it seems to have been common practice for people to carry their own cutlery, often in a leather case.
Ebony, ivory, fish skin, tortoiseshell, amber, bone, horn and shell were all popular for decorating cutlery. Around 1730 ceramic handles were introduced to Europe from China. Although cutlers were required by their guilds to be able to make a complete knife, handles of carved ivory, silver, bronze and glass were usually imported or made by specialist craftsmen.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Knife (Culinary Tool)
  • Fork
Materials and techniques
Steel, with handles of carved ivory and silver-gilt ferrules and caps
Brief description
Knife and fork, carved carved ivory, silver-gilt ferrules and caps, Italian or possibly Netherlandish, ca. 1690-1710
Object history
Bought in 1869 from the Soulages Collection.
Summary
Ivory was a favoured material for decorative carving on tankards, caskets and cutlery. Carved ivory employed the techniques of sculpture and was fashionable for gentlemen who wished to demonstrate their worldliness and wealth. These handles have three ‘putti’ (children) among bunches of fruit. The subject is called ‘Kinderbacchanal’ in German.
Knives have been used since prehistoric times, but the history of knives, forks and spoons for eating in Europe probably commenced in the fourteenth century, and their use became accepted by the sixteenth century. Until the late seventeenth century it seems to have been common practice for people to carry their own cutlery, often in a leather case.
Ebony, ivory, fish skin, tortoiseshell, amber, bone, horn and shell were all popular for decorating cutlery. Around 1730 ceramic handles were introduced to Europe from China. Although cutlers were required by their guilds to be able to make a complete knife, handles of carved ivory, silver, bronze and glass were usually imported or made by specialist craftsmen.
Associated object
7B-1869 (Set)
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum, Acquired during the Year 1969, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition. In: Inventory of Art Objects, South Kensington Museum 1868-1870, London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1970, p. 1
  • 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. 434
  • 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. 434, cat. no. 467
Collection
Accession number
7&A-1869

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Record createdFebruary 4, 2005
Record URL
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