IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 166888 accession number: MAR.M.189-1912 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Saturday 14 March 2020 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: Shell and silver; the bowl and handle are carved from a cowrie shell (Cypraea tigris) the bowl from the curved back, the handle from the columella. Pinned to the bowl is an engraved acanthus leaf-shaped mount, on the back of which are four loops to hold the two tines of the silver fork. The silver stem of the fork is hinged with the folding mechanism held in place by a slide in the form of a grotesque mask. A broad silver ferrule attaches the stem to the handle. The ferrule is embossed with two borders of swags, fleurs de lis and rosettes. object type: shell and silver; bowl and handle carved from a cowrie shell mounted in silver and with silver tines title: spoon and fork NOTES ----- type: history note value: not known before Charles Brinsley Marlay, London LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Applied Arts collection: C. B. Marlay creditline: C.B. Marlay Bequest STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/166888 TECHNIQUES ---------- The bowl and handle were carved. The mount was engraved and the loops were soldered on its back before it was pinned to the bowl The tines of the fork and the silver stem were forged and fitted with a hinge. The decoration on the ferrule was probably stamped. It was soldered down the back and to the stem before being glued to the handle. carving TECHNIQUES ---------- gluing CATEGORIES ------ category: cutlery DATING ------ creation date: 1650 - 1700 creation date earliest: 1650 creation date latest: 1700 culture: 17th Century, Mid-Late CREATORS -------- maker: Unknown maker: Unknown DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Length units: cm value: 18 CITATIONS -------- Cutlery: From Gothic to Art Deco: The J. Hollander Collection ---