Knife
1756 (made), ca.1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
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.
Porcelain from China was so popular that European factories tried to imitate it. They could not immediately replicate the recipe for true Chinese porcelain (hard-paste), but devised substitutes known as 'soft-pastes'. Soft-paste factories at Bow and Chelsea produced ceramic knife handles in various patterns and styles from about 1750.
Porcelain from China was so popular that European factories tried to imitate it. They could not immediately replicate the recipe for true Chinese porcelain (hard-paste), but devised substitutes known as 'soft-pastes'. Soft-paste factories at Bow and Chelsea produced ceramic knife handles in various patterns and styles from about 1750.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 6 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Soft paste porcelain, painted enamel, silver, steel |
| Brief description | Knife with porcelain handle, London, ca.1756 (blade ca.1850). |
| Physical description | One of a set of six knives with a pistol-shaped handle made of soft-paste porcelain with painted enamel decoration and a silver ferrule. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest |
| Production | Handle made 1756 by Bow Porcelain Factory, blade made by Stammers ca.1850 |
| Summary | 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. Porcelain from China was so popular that European factories tried to imitate it. They could not immediately replicate the recipe for true Chinese porcelain (hard-paste), but devised substitutes known as 'soft-pastes'. Soft-paste factories at Bow and Chelsea produced ceramic knife handles in various patterns and styles from about 1750. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.1038toE-1926 |
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| Record created | February 4, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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