Penknife thumbnail 1
Not on display

Penknife

ca. 1690 - ca. 1710 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Netherlands (made)

This gravoir or penknife, with a representation of a naked woman, is made by an unknown artist in the Netherlands in about 1690-1710. The knife was probably a scrivener's tool used to trim feathers into writing quills.

Object details

Categories
Accessories
Sculpture
Tools & Equipment
Object type
Penknife
Materials and techniques
Ivory and metal
Ivory
Metal
Brief description
Penknife and gravoir, ivory and metal, nude female figure, Netherlandish, ca. 1690-1710
Physical description
This gravoir with a penknife attached has a handle is formed by a naked figure of a woman, somewhat crudely carved.
Dimensions
  • Whole length: 35.56cm
  • Ivory alone length: 29cm
Object history
Bought in 1859 from the Soulages Collection.
Subject depicted
Female Figure
Summary
This gravoir or penknife, with a representation of a naked woman, is made by an unknown artist in the Netherlands in about 1690-1710. The knife was probably a scrivener's tool used to trim feathers into writing quills.
Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1859. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 34
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929, p. 75
  • Robinson, John Charles. Catalogue of the Soulages Collection. London: Chapman & Hall, 1856
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 pp. 429, 430
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, pp. 429, 430, cat. no. 455
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
5602-1859

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O349533/penknife-unknown/
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