Skip to main content

Knife: M.24-1930

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Designer: Bry, Theodor de (After)
Maker: Le Blon, Michel (After)

Entities

Categories

Description

Silver and steel; the knife has a steel blade and a silver handle decorated with two figures on each side, one probably representing St. John

Silver and steel; the knife has a steel scimitar-shaped blade and a silver tapering square section handle which broadens towards the openwork Renaissance terminal with small stepped baluster finial. Each side of the cast handle depicts two male figures with an inscription underneath. The upper figure on one side probably represents St. John, under whom is inscribed 'FIDES'. Above and below the figures are floral swags and masks.

Notes

History note: Frank Smart Collection

Legal notes

From the Frank Smart Collection, given by T.J.G. Duncanson

Measurements and weight

Length: 19.2 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1930) by Duncanson, T. J. G.

Dating

18th Century
Circa 1800 CE - Circa 1900 CE

Note

Theodor de Bry (b. 1528 in Liège) designed this style of handle. His son Johann Theodor de Bry (b. 1561) was a designer and manufacturer, who encouraged others, including Michel Le Blon (b. 1587 in Frankfurt) to continue the production of their designs for silver. The engraving on this knife handle is not fine enough to have been made by Johann Theodor de Bry or any of his immediate successors and may be a 19th century cast copy.

School or Style

Dutch

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Handle composed of silver
Blade composed of steel

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: FIDES
  • Location: Under depiction of St. John
  • Method of creation: Cast or engraved
  • Type: Inscription

Inscription present: not legible

  • Location: Under depiction of each man
  • Method of creation: Cast or engraved
  • Type: Inscription

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.24-1930
Primary reference Number: 166985
Old object number: M.2-1930
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 17 September 2012 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Knife" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/166985 Accessed: 2024-11-22 01:23:19

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/166985 |title=Knife |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 01:23:19|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-166985

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...