{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25239"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25239/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25239","accessionNumber":"M.26-1999","objectType":"Nutcracker","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"By the late nineteenth century nutcrackers could be sold singly or in boxed sets with grape scissors. In 1897, Mappin Brothers sold boxes of two nut cracks and a pair of grape scissors with ivory handles for £2 8s.\r\nThese nutcrackers are an example of close plated work which was a method used, particularly by the cutlery industry, to apply a silver surface to a base metal. The steel nutcrackers were immersed in a flux of sal ammoniac, dipped in molten tin and covered in a thin silver foil. A hot soldering iron was applied to the surface, melting the tin under the silver foil and fusing the silver to the steel. Bubbles of rust on the underlying tin have caused the plating to lift. On exposure to the air, the tin has tarnished black.\n\r\nManufacturing close plate was laborious and time-consuming, but the industry did not collide directly with electroplate in the same way as Sheffield plate. Close plate workers specialised in making cutlery, scissors, and snuffers up until the early 20th century.","physicalDescription":"Nutcrackers with two cylinders mounted to turn on a shaped metal piece (  turn-over lever mechanism - so that the arms could be reversed to hang from the wider side - so wide enough to crack a larger nut ) with rectangular upper arms which curve and taper to the ends. Grid of dots on the upper arms.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Henry Millington Harwood & son","id":"A14613"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Close plate","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"67","id":"THES49731"},"free":"","case":"19","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Nutcrackers","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1890","earliest":"1885-01-01","latest":"1894-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"15","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"3.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"greatest width","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Mark of Harwood in an oval with also a mark of a crown and an unidentified crest.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"By the late nineteenth century nutcrackers could be sold singly or in boxed sets with grape scissors. In 1897, Mappin Brothers sold boxes of two nut cracks and a pair of grape scissors with ivory handles for £2 8s.","historicalContext":"These nutcrackers are an example of close plated work which was a method used, particularly by the cutlery industry, to apply a silver surface to a base metal.  The mark 'S' denotes an underlying metal of steel. The steel nutcrackers were immersed in a flux of sal ammoniac, dipped in molten tin and covered in a thin silver foil. A hot soldering iron was applied to the surface, melting the tin under the silver foil and fusing the silver to the steel. Bubbles of rust on the underlying tin have caused the plating to lift. On exposure to the air, the tin has tarnished black.\n\r\nManufacturing close plate was laborious and time-consuming, but the industry did not collide directly with electroplate in the same way as Sheffield plate. Close plate workers specialised in making cutlery, scissors, and snuffers up until the early 20th-century.","briefDescription":"Nutcracker, closeplate, Birmingham, Henry Millington Harwood and Son, 1890s","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"For mark see.Andrea de Giovanni, Sheffield and Birmingham Victorian Electroplaters Book of Marks, Italy, 1991. p.71"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Typical of standard nutcracker designs of the time. See James Dixon and Sons Catalogue, 1892 p. 39"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.26-1999"],"accessionNumberNum":"26","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1999,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-21","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-15","availableToBook":false}}