Dessert Knife
1854-1866 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Smaller knives evolved in the early 18th century as cutlery became specialised. A desire to eat more elegantly prompted the need for table equipment that could be used only at particular times in the meal or with certain foods. The fruit or dessert knife was designed for use with the last course or dessert, which might consist of fresh or candied fruit. A Victorian etiquette book of 1880 advised, 'In eating pears or apples, they would be peeled and cut into halves and quarters with a fruit knife and fork.' These knives could also be used to cut cheese or cake.
Design & Designing
Dessert cutlery had always been more highly decorated than that for the earlier courses, to reflect the status and expense of the dessert. Handles, in particular, were often more ornate. This knife has a handle made of mother-of-pearl (the most expensive material used for such purposes), which adds to the effect of luxury. In the Victorian period fruit knives were commonly sold with fruit forks in boxed sets of a dozen. The manufacturer Elkington & Co. could charge up to œ22 a set in 1885 for richly engraved blades with carved handles and accompanying matching forks.
Manufacturer
A.B. Savory was largely a retailing business, selling the usual stock of silver and electroplated tableware and cutlery, clocks, watches and jewellery.
Smaller knives evolved in the early 18th century as cutlery became specialised. A desire to eat more elegantly prompted the need for table equipment that could be used only at particular times in the meal or with certain foods. The fruit or dessert knife was designed for use with the last course or dessert, which might consist of fresh or candied fruit. A Victorian etiquette book of 1880 advised, 'In eating pears or apples, they would be peeled and cut into halves and quarters with a fruit knife and fork.' These knives could also be used to cut cheese or cake.
Design & Designing
Dessert cutlery had always been more highly decorated than that for the earlier courses, to reflect the status and expense of the dessert. Handles, in particular, were often more ornate. This knife has a handle made of mother-of-pearl (the most expensive material used for such purposes), which adds to the effect of luxury. In the Victorian period fruit knives were commonly sold with fruit forks in boxed sets of a dozen. The manufacturer Elkington & Co. could charge up to œ22 a set in 1885 for richly engraved blades with carved handles and accompanying matching forks.
Manufacturer
A.B. Savory was largely a retailing business, selling the usual stock of silver and electroplated tableware and cutlery, clocks, watches and jewellery.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Close-plated blade, silver ferrule, with mother-of-pearl handle |
| Brief description | Dessert Knife, one of a boxed set of twelve dessert knives and forks, by A.B. Savory and Sons, London, 1854-66 |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Marked on the blade G, SAV above ORY, a symbol of a downpointing triangle with a cross above, LON above DON and PS all in individual shaped lozanges. (On the mother-of-pearl handle a crest of a fist holding a sheaf of papers?; Marks on the blade of the knife.; punching) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Miss D. B. Simpson |
| Object history | Sold through A. B. Savory and Sons, London "Bequest of Miss D.B. Simpson From a set of 6. Cutlery for dessert was sold as a separate service. It was often more decorative, costly and of a different pattern to the cutlery of the earlier courses. The principal table service might be in silver but the dessert cutlery was mostly gilt. This differentiation began in the eighteenth century and continued through until the early twentieth century. Elkington and Co sold dessert cutlery in pairs per dozen for up to £20 with pearl handles and engraved blades." |
| Historical context | Object Type Smaller knives evolved in the early 18th century as cutlery became specialised. A desire to eat more elegantly prompted the need for table equipment that could be used only at particular times in the meal or with certain foods. The fruit or dessert knife was designed for use with the last course or dessert, which might consist of fresh or candied fruit. A Victorian etiquette book of 1880 advised, 'In eating pears or apples, they would be peeled and cut into halves and quarters with a fruit knife and fork.' These knives could also be used to cut cheese or cake. Design & Designing Dessert cutlery had always been more highly decorated than that for the earlier courses, to reflect the status and expense of the dessert. Handles, in particular, were often more ornate. This knife has a handle made of mother-of-pearl (the most expensive material used for such purposes), which adds to the effect of luxury. In the Victorian period fruit knives were commonly sold with fruit forks in boxed sets of a dozen. The manufacturer Elkington & Co. could charge up to £22 a set in 1885 for richly engraved blades with carved handles and accompanying matching forks. Manufacturer A.B. Savory was largely a retailing business, selling the usual stock of silver and electroplated tableware and cutlery, clocks, watches and jewellery. |
| Summary | Object Type Smaller knives evolved in the early 18th century as cutlery became specialised. A desire to eat more elegantly prompted the need for table equipment that could be used only at particular times in the meal or with certain foods. The fruit or dessert knife was designed for use with the last course or dessert, which might consist of fresh or candied fruit. A Victorian etiquette book of 1880 advised, 'In eating pears or apples, they would be peeled and cut into halves and quarters with a fruit knife and fork.' These knives could also be used to cut cheese or cake. Design & Designing Dessert cutlery had always been more highly decorated than that for the earlier courses, to reflect the status and expense of the dessert. Handles, in particular, were often more ornate. This knife has a handle made of mother-of-pearl (the most expensive material used for such purposes), which adds to the effect of luxury. In the Victorian period fruit knives were commonly sold with fruit forks in boxed sets of a dozen. The manufacturer Elkington & Co. could charge up to œ22 a set in 1885 for richly engraved blades with carved handles and accompanying matching forks. Manufacturer A.B. Savory was largely a retailing business, selling the usual stock of silver and electroplated tableware and cutlery, clocks, watches and jewellery. |
| Bibliographic reference | John Culme, The Directory of Gold and Silversmiths, Jewellers and Allied Traders 1838-1914, Vol. 1, Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 1987, pp.405-6 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.207-1977 |
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| Record created | July 31, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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