Fish Slice
1800-1801 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This fish slice would have been part of a silver table service. By the time this one made in 1800 to 1801 a fish slice was supplied with almost every flatware service. The advantage of silver was that it did not taint the delicate flavour of the fish.
The teeth on the upper edge of this example would have helped to divide and serve a large fish. The silver handle was hollow cast and then filled with pitch (as were knife handles). These type of handles were much more vulnerable than solid silver handles and comparatively few survive.
The fish slice evolved from the ‘Pudding Trowle’, such as the one supplied to the Earl of Kildare in 1745. The ‘trowle’ normally consisted of a triangular blade which was pierced and sawn to various designs. It was soon used for fish as well as pudding. By the 1770s, when it was suddenly fashionable to eat whitebait, silversmiths supplied a large number of trowels both with fish-shaped outlines and also pierced and chased to represent one. The earliest trowels usually had solid silver handles. Later examples had turned and stained ivory handles.
The teeth on the upper edge of this example would have helped to divide and serve a large fish. The silver handle was hollow cast and then filled with pitch (as were knife handles). These type of handles were much more vulnerable than solid silver handles and comparatively few survive.
The fish slice evolved from the ‘Pudding Trowle’, such as the one supplied to the Earl of Kildare in 1745. The ‘trowle’ normally consisted of a triangular blade which was pierced and sawn to various designs. It was soon used for fish as well as pudding. By the 1770s, when it was suddenly fashionable to eat whitebait, silversmiths supplied a large number of trowels both with fish-shaped outlines and also pierced and chased to represent one. The earliest trowels usually had solid silver handles. Later examples had turned and stained ivory handles.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver |
| Brief description | Silver, London hallmarks for 1800-1, mark of William Eley 1 and William Fearn |
| Physical description | Reeded handle, curved blade, pierced with two parallel rows of slits. Inscribed with the initial R. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | FISH SLICE
London, 1800-01
On the balde: Mark of William Eley 1 and William Fearn
On the handle: Unidentified mark IT
Engraved with the letter R. The teeth on the upper edge would have helped to divide and serve a large fish. The silver handle was hollow cast then filled with pitch, as were knife handles. This made them vulnerable to heavy use, and comparatively few survive.
C.D. Rotch Bequest
M.101-1916(26/11/1996) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by C. D. Rotch |
| Object history | Acquisition RF: Rotch Bequest - Rotch |
| Summary | This fish slice would have been part of a silver table service. By the time this one made in 1800 to 1801 a fish slice was supplied with almost every flatware service. The advantage of silver was that it did not taint the delicate flavour of the fish. The teeth on the upper edge of this example would have helped to divide and serve a large fish. The silver handle was hollow cast and then filled with pitch (as were knife handles). These type of handles were much more vulnerable than solid silver handles and comparatively few survive. The fish slice evolved from the ‘Pudding Trowle’, such as the one supplied to the Earl of Kildare in 1745. The ‘trowle’ normally consisted of a triangular blade which was pierced and sawn to various designs. It was soon used for fish as well as pudding. By the 1770s, when it was suddenly fashionable to eat whitebait, silversmiths supplied a large number of trowels both with fish-shaped outlines and also pierced and chased to represent one. The earliest trowels usually had solid silver handles. Later examples had turned and stained ivory handles. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.101-1916 |
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| Record created | March 3, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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