Not currently on display at the V&A

Fork

ca. 1700 - ca. 1720 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Europe (made)

This ivory, steel, silver and enamel carving set is made in Germany, dated 17 October 1682. It is a three-piece set comprising a presentoir (serving knife), a carving knife and a fork. All the handles are decorated with piqué work: thin strips of silver inlaid into ivory with flower patterns. Coloured enamels and lacquers enhance the designs. They may have been made for a wedding gift for a marriage celebrated on 17 October 1682.


Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Metalwork
Tools & Equipment
Accessories
Object type
Fork
Materials and techniques
Steel with ivory and silver gilt
Steel
Silver
Gold
Ivory
Forging
Amalgam Gilding
Carving
Brief description
Fork, with an ivory handle, and silver gilt finial and ferrule with a cutler's mark: a sceptre-like device, Northern Europe (probably German), about 1700-1720
Physical description
Fork with an ivory handle carved with grapes and vine leaves, and silver gilt finial and ferrule with a cutler's mark: a sceptre-like device.
Dimensions
  • Whole length: 15.7cm
  • Ivory alone length: 4.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
A sceptre-like device (Cutler's mark)
Object history
Bought in 1858 (vendor unrecorded). All three objects (knife, fork and spoon) where bought as set.
Subjects depicted
Grapes
Vine-Leaves
Summary
This ivory, steel, silver and enamel carving set is made in Germany, dated 17 October 1682. It is a three-piece set comprising a presentoir (serving knife), a carving knife and a fork. All the handles are decorated with piqué work: thin strips of silver inlaid into ivory with flower patterns. Coloured enamels and lacquers enhance the designs. They may have been made for a wedding gift for a marriage celebrated on 17 October 1682.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1858. 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. 15
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929 p. 94
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 p. 424
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929, p. 94
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, p. 424, cat. no. 438
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
4863-1858

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMarch 1, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109741/fork-unknown/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest