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Knife, fork and spoon in case: M.62A-D-1930

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Cutler: Unidentified
Handle maker: Unknown
Case maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Rock crystal, silver-gilt, and steel; the knife with steel blade and rock crystal handle with silver-gilt mounts; the three tined fork and spoon have knopped handles of facetted rock crystal with silver-gilt mounts

Rock crystal, silver-gilt, and steel; the knife (A) has a steel blade with parallel sides tapering to a sharp point; the handle is of rock crystal, of tapering rectangular form, held by a silver-gilt mount, terminal cap and broad ferrule engraved with leaves.
The fork (B) has three silver-gilt tines; its handle comprises alternating facetted knops of rock crystal - three ovoid and four spherical - separated by silver-gilt double calyxes and terminating in a cap, all cut and engraved to resemble a band of stiff leaves.
The spoon (C) has a fig-shaped rock crystal bowl held by an engraved silver-gilt mount to the handle which comprises one octagonal, three spherical and two ovoid facetted knops of rock crystal separated by silver-gilt spacers similar to those of the fork, but terminating in an small ovoid rock crystal knop with an undecorated hemisperical cap with ball knop (possibly a replacement for an earlier decorated finial).
The rectangular hinged case (D) is covered in red Morocco with tooled and gilt borders; it is lined with turquoise silk and silver braid.

Notes

History note: Frank Smart Collection

Legal notes

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

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

17th Century, Late-19th Century, Early
Circa 1640 CE - 1900 CE

Note

The knife blade bears a cutlers mark part of which is similar to a mark used by Dutch cutlers in the late 17th and 18th centuries. However the knife handle could also have been made in Germany, northern Italy or Spain. The fork and spoon could also have been made in any of these countries, but are 17th century in style. The case was made in Spain, but is probably 18th century. The spoon and fork fit well, but the knife is too short for the recess made to hold it. It may therefore be a replacement, or the whole set may be a Historicist piece copying a variety of earlier designs.

Components of the work

Case composed of leather ( Morroco) Length 26 cm Width 11.5 cm
Fork Tines composed of silver-gilt
Case Lining composed of silk
Handle composed of rock crystal
Spoon Bowl composed of rock crystal
Surface Of Mounts composed of gold
Mounts composed of silver
Knife Blade composed of steel
Fork Length 20.2 cm
Spoon Length 20 cm
Knife Length 22 cm

Materials used in production

Gilt

Techniques used in production

Gilding
Engraving

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: three balls in a triangle over a trident with short tines(?)

  • Location: On the knife blade
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Cutler's mark
  • Text: CUBIERTO DE CRISTAL DE ROCA
  • Location: Inside the lid of the box
  • Method of creation: Printed in ink and glued
  • Type: Paper label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.62A-D-1930
Primary reference Number: 167110
Old object number: M.2-1930
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 24 September 2015 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, fork and spoon in case" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/167110 Accessed: 2024-03-28 16:21:09

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/167110 |title=Knife, fork and spoon in case |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-28 16:21:09|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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