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Pair of knives and case: M.51A-C-1930

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Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Cutler: Unknown (Possibly)
Handle maker: Unknown (Possibly)
Case maker: Unknown (Possibly)

Entities

Categories

Description

Ivory, silver, enamel and steel, wood; each knife with steel blade and ivory handle with enamel and inlaid silver wire; the two tined fork with similar handle; the case and pull-off lid of shagreen

Ivory, silver, enamel and steel, shagreen and white metal; each knife has a steel tapering blade and ivory handle of circular section with silver ferrule and terminal cap. Both ivory handles are inscribed and decorated with scrolls and tulips in inlaid silver wires and red enamel . Knife A is inscribed 'AN: GOTTES: SE / EN: IST: ALLES' and knife B is inscribed 'GELEGEN / ANNO: 1674'. The case (C) is of wood covered with unpolished pearl ray shagreen with a white metal mount to the tip. It has a pull-off lid, is of lobed oval section and tapers to a point.

Notes

History note: Frank Smart Collection; T.J.G. Duncanson

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
Production date: circa AD 1674

Note

Unidentified cutler. Object probably either German or English.

School or Style

English

Components of the work

Sheath composed of wood shagreen
Decoration composed of silverwire enamel
Case Tip composed of white metal
Ferrule composed of silver
Blade composed of steel
Handle composed of ivory
Knife B Length 13.3 cm
Knife A Length 13.5 cm
Case Length 17.3 cm

Techniques used in production

Inlaid
Enamelling

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: a star above ?

  • Location: On the blade
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Cutler's mark
  • Text: AN: GOTTES: SE / EN: IST: ALLES
  • Location: On the sides of knife A
  • Method of creation: Engraved ivory inlaid with silver wire
  • Type: Inscription
  • Text: GELEGEN / ANNO: 1674
  • Location: On the sides of knife B
  • Method of creation: Engraved ivory inlaid with silver wire
  • Type: Inscription

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.51A-C-1930
Primary reference Number: 167117
Old object number: M.2-1930

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 27 November 2025

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 (2025) "Pair of knives and case" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/167117 Accessed: 2025-12-05 12:56:39

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/167117 |title=Pair of knives and case |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 12:56:39|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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