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Plain Pine

Knife
1936 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Walter Patrick Belk initially designed this service for the tourist class (2nd class) dining room of the Queen Mary. It proved so popular that it was also used for another of Cunard’s transatlantic liners, the Queen Elizabeth, sister ship of the Queen Mary.

In the first half of the 20th century, Roberts and Belk were a well-known firm of manufacturing platers and silversmiths. They had been established in Sheffield in 1810. In 1901 the firm converted into a limited liability company, the first directors being Charles Belk and Walter Belk. In 1961 it was purchased by the London manufacturing silversmiths, C. J. Vander Ltd.

Traditionally, Roberts and Belk had a ‘high-class’ goods range – ‘ every piece designed by the firm’s own staff’. Walter Belk (1872-1963) was originally an architect. As director of this important firm, he was immensely supportive of the Goldsmiths’ Company’s schemes to improve design in silver. He was elected to the Livery of the Company in 1929.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePlain Pine (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Electroplate and stainless steel, forged and stamped
Brief description
Knife, part of a cutlery service, `Plain Pine', Sheffield, made by Roberts & Belk, 1936, designed by Walter Patrick Belk.
Physical description
Table knife, part of a cutlery service, `Plain Pine', the blade of stainless steel, straight leading edge, rounded tip, and curved cutting edge, the haft of electroplated nickel silver, chamfered edges and stamped with a fleche pattern.
Dimensions
  • Length: 20.9cm
  • Width: 1.9cm (maximum)
Style
Production typeMass produced
Subject depicted
Summary
Walter Patrick Belk initially designed this service for the tourist class (2nd class) dining room of the Queen Mary. It proved so popular that it was also used for another of Cunard’s transatlantic liners, the Queen Elizabeth, sister ship of the Queen Mary.

In the first half of the 20th century, Roberts and Belk were a well-known firm of manufacturing platers and silversmiths. They had been established in Sheffield in 1810. In 1901 the firm converted into a limited liability company, the first directors being Charles Belk and Walter Belk. In 1961 it was purchased by the London manufacturing silversmiths, C. J. Vander Ltd.

Traditionally, Roberts and Belk had a ‘high-class’ goods range – ‘ every piece designed by the firm’s own staff’. Walter Belk (1872-1963) was originally an architect. As director of this important firm, he was immensely supportive of the Goldsmiths’ Company’s schemes to improve design in silver. He was elected to the Livery of the Company in 1929.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.123-1937

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
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