{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O110628"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O110628/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU3647/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU3647/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU3647","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AJ9444","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O110628/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O110628","accessionNumber":"M.604-1910","objectType":"Knife","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This knife has a handle of chiselled iron, partly gilded, and decorated with mother-of-pearl scales. The blade inlaid with a copper 'V' denoting the cutler.\r\n\r\nThis knife was originally, probably part of a set of knives in a leather case. Owning fine cutlery in the 16th century was an outward sign of wealth, elegance and refinement. Mother-of-pearl was an exotic and expensive material. \r\n\r\nIt was normal practice for everyone to carry their own cutlery, especially a knife. Cutlery remained individual and personalised. The knife was the main eating implement in Europe until the middle of the 17th century. The basic form of the table knife, a single-edged blade more or less pointed, with a handle, has remained virtually the same since Antiquity, although the details of construction, shape and decoration have varied.\r\n\r\nThe survival rate also suggests that knives were not subjected to hard, repeated use. Although this knife is sharply pointed to enable it both to cut and skewer meat, fingers were used for much of the meal.","physicalDescription":"Knife with straight-backed steel blade tapering at to a sharp point, with a cutler's mark 'V' inlaid with copper, and handle of chiselled iron, partly gilded, and with mother-of-pearl scales.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"Iron","id":"AAT11002"},{"text":"Mother of pearl","id":"AAT11835"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Forging","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"Copper inlay","id":"x40072"},{"text":"Gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Steel with copper inlay and gilt chiselled iron with mother-of-pearl scales","categories":[{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"},{"text":"Tools & Equipment","id":"THES48883"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU3647","2006AJ9444"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"62 (VA)","id":"THES49739"},"free":"","case":"CA11","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"knife (culinary tool)","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"France","id":"x28849"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1586","earliest":"1586-01-01","latest":"1586-12-31"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"19.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'V' inlaid with copper","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Cutler's mark: unidentified"}],"objectHistory":"This knife came to the Museum in the Salting Bequest of 1910 (No. 1271), a major bequest including Chinese and Japanese ceramics and metalwork and European art. George Salting was born in Australia in 1836 where his father was a wealthy sugar producer. He was a very careful collector and was known to haggle endlessly over prices. By 1874, he began lending items to the V&A, then known as the South Kensington Museum, when his collection became too large for his residence in St James’ Street. Salting died in 1909 and his collection was displayed the following year in its own gallery in the Museum.\r\n\r\nPrior to Salting's ownership the knife had also been in the collection of Baron Frederic Spitzer (1815-1890). Spitzer was an antiquarian and dealer in Paris, originally from Vienna, whose collection was sold in 1893. This knife fetched 340 francs.\r\n\r\nThe provenance of the knife prior to Spitzer's ownership is not known.","historicalContext":"This knife was originally, probably part of a set of knives in a leather case. Owning fine cutlery in the 16th century was an outward sign of wealth, elegance and refinement. Mother-of-pearl was an exotic and expensive material. \r\n\r\nIt was normal practice for everyone to carry their own cutlery, especially a knife. Cutlery remained individual and personalised. The knife was the main eating implement in Europe until the middle of the 17th century. The basic form of the table knife, a single-edged blade more or less pointed, with a handle, has remained virtually the same since Antiquity, although the details of construction, shape and decoration have varied.\r\n\r\nThe survival rate also suggests that knives were not subjected to hard, repeated use. Although this knife is sharply pointed to enable it both to cut and skewer meat, fingers were used for much of the meal.","briefDescription":"Knife with straight-backed steel blade, a cutler's mark 'V' inlaid with copper, and handle of chiselled iron, partly gilded, and with mother-of-pearl scales, France, dated 1586","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Masterpieces of Cutlery and the Art of Eating</u>, An Exhibition organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum in conjunction with the Worshipful Company of Cutlers of London, London 1979"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Coffin, Sarah D. et al, <u>Feeding Desire: Design and the Tools of the Table 1500-2005</u>, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Assouline, New York 2006"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Catalogue Des Objets D'Art et de Haute Curiositie, Antiques, Du Moyen Age & de La Renaissance, Collection Spitzer, Paris, Monday 17 April to Wednesday 16 June 1893, Plate LV, Lot No. 2425"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Trigt, Jan Van, <u>Cutlery, From Gothic to Art Deco</u>, Pandora, Antwerp, 2003"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.604-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"604","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP7934","2019LT7302","2019LU5848","2021MU8812"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-03-24","availableToBook":false}}