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Pair of knives and sheath: M.30A-C-1930

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Cutler: Unidentified
Handle maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Wood, white metal and steel; each knife with a steel blade, one wood handle carved with Diana bathing, the other depciting Actaeon with a stag's head; the sheath is carved with panels depicting the Apostles and Biblical vignettes

Wood, white metal and steel; each knife has a steel blade with parallel sides and downward pointing tip and a handle of carved wood. Knife A depicts Diana bathing with two maids; they sit on a plinth of carved acanthus leaves and above them are the branches of a tree. Knife B depicts Actaeon, dressed as a man but with the head of a stag; he stands with a hound on a plinth of carved acanthus leaves and above are the branches of a tree. The wood case (C) is oval in section and tapers to a point. It has a white metal rim mount and tip. The sides are carved with four rows of seven panels. Two of the rows depict the twelve Apostles holding their emblems, a pair of crossed palm leaves and the initials 'WG'. The other rows depict twelve vignettes of Biblical scenes, an angel and a vacant cartouche between a pair of horns.

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, first half#
Circa 1600 CE - Circa 1650 CE

School or Style

North European

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Sheath composed of wood Length 19.9 cm
Handle composed of wood
Mount composed of white metal
Blade composed of steel
Knife B Length 22.6 cm
Knife A Length 22.7 cm

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.30A-C-1930
Primary reference Number: 167114
Old object number: M.2-1930
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 21 August 2015 Last processed: Thursday 7 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) "Pair of knives and sheath" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/167114 Accessed: 2024-03-29 09:58:54

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/167114 |title=Pair of knives and sheath |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-29 09:58:54|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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