{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O103938"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O103938/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU6694/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU6694/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU6694","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LK1855","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O103938/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O103938","accessionNumber":"M.325B-1962","objectType":"Knife","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This knife is part of a set also comprising of a spoon and fork. The octagonal knife handle is typical of the mid-late seventeenth century, and the square-ended blade was developed in the 1650s perhaps in response to the introduction of forks for food-spearing instead of knives. The trefid (three sectioned) end of the fork and spoon handle became fashionable in the 1660s, evolving from earlier ‘Puritan’ spoons and French forms. \r\n\r\nAlthough four registered London silversmiths have the initials TT, the crowned TT mark has not survived in the records at Goldsmiths’ Hall. The mark has been ascribed to Thomas Tysoe, but he was apprenticed in 1674 and would not have registered a mark until the 1680s.\r\n\r\nThe London cutler’s mark on the knife blade can be attributed to either Joseph Surbut (also spelt Surbert) or William Boswell. Surbut was granted use of the y mark in 1631 and Boswell in 1669. Boswell seems the more likely maker given the later date of the knife handle.\r\n\r\nThe rich and finely engraved decoration was inspired by continental prints. The small roundels are engraved with classical scenes; that on the fork may depict Perseus and Andromeda. Scrollwork with stylised foliage and putti intermingle with homely vignettes of fashionable ladies, buglers and soldiers.\r\n\r\nThe coat of arms on the spoon and fork are those of Sir Robert Button of Tockenham Court, Lyneham, Wiltshire and his wife Eleanor, daughter of William Compton of Hartbury, Gloucester. It has been suggested that the cutlery was made during Button’s term of office as High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1670.","physicalDescription":"Knife, silver-gilt, engraved ornament and armorials with steel blade from a set. The rich and finely engraved decoration was inspired by continental prints. The small roundels are engraved with classical scenes; that on the fork may depict Perseus and Andromeda. Scrollwork with stylised foliage and putti intermingle with homely vignettes of fashionable ladies, buglers and soldiers.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"William Boswell","id":"A22734"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"possibly"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver-gilt","id":"x37998"},{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver-gilt and steel","categories":[{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU6694","2019LK1855"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"65","id":"THES49734"},"free":"","case":"CA9","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Knife","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1670-75","earliest":"1665-01-01","latest":"1675-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Claude D. Rotch","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"19.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"T T below a coronet","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Jackson, 2nd Edition, pp.147"},{"content":"Arms","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"Lower case y and dagger on knife blade","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Lower case y perhaps the mark of William Boswell, the dagger mark for London cutlers"}],"objectHistory":"Bequest - Rotch\nAcquisition RF: 61 / 3157","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Silver-gilt, London, 1670-75, mark probably of cutler William Boswell, and mark of unknown silversmith TT below a coronet.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Cokayne, George Edward (ed.),<u> The Complete Baronetage</u> (reprinted Gloucester, 1983) vol.1, p.193"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Moore, Simon,<u> Cutlery for the table: a history of British table and pocket cutlery</u> (Sheffield, 1999), p.140"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Brown, Peter (ed.), <u>British cutlery: An illustrated history of design, evolution and use</u> (Fairfax House, York exhib. cat., 2001)"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hindel, Keith and John Herbert, <u>London-made knives and their marks: the collections of the worshipful company of cutlers of London</u> (London, 2005), pp.50-1"}],"production":"Possibly the mark for the cutler, William Boswell","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Perseus","id":"N176"},{"text":"Andromeda","id":"N2"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"armorials","id":"AAT255028"},{"text":"scroll-work","id":"AAT10205"},{"text":"stylized foliage","id":"x43933"},{"text":"putti","id":"AAT250465"},{"text":"ladies","id":"x35297"},{"text":"buglers","id":"AAT235048"},{"text":"soldiers","id":"AAT185678"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.325B-1962"],"accessionNumberNum":"325","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1962,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2004-09-10","availableToBook":false}}