{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O271507"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O271507/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HT0693/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HT0693/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HT0693","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0694","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0695","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0696","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0697","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0698","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0699","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0700","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT0701","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O271507/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O271507","accessionNumber":"M.624-1910","objectType":"Knife","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This is a knife used for chopping bones and ripping flesh from animals killed during a hunt. The knife was probably originally part of a set carried in a trousse, a multi-socketed sheath worn on a belt. The set might contain a variety of tools such as saws to cut bone, wide-bladed knives with pointed ends to remove flesh and delicate knives to cut small pieces of meat which were served on a flat knife called a presentoir.\r\n\r\nKnives were among the many creations of cutlers, who also made table cutlery, pocket and pen knives, scriveners’ knives, hunting tools, scissors, razors, nutcrackers, swords and even surgical instruments. \r\n\r\nLarge game hunts were rule-bound and ritualised. The elaborate decoration on hunting weapons gives an indication of how important they were to elite society. Large estates maintained stocks of game to feed their households. Stag and wild boar were revered for their strength. Hunting them was both a means to an end and a symbolic ceremony. Accompanied by music and feasting, hunts were social occasions celebrated in purpose-built lodges. The rituals of the hunt reinforced the hierarchy. Attendants carried out specialised tasks from the maintenance of dogs to the carving of meat. Attendants dissected the kill with precision and served small pieces of raw meat to distinguished guests.","physicalDescription":"Hunting knife, the steel blade etched with foliage and partly gilded, the back edge bevelled, the handle with wooden grip terminates in a copper gilt knob. The figure of Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting crowned with a crescent moon, is etched into one side of the blade and a dog's head appears on the other. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraved","id":"AAT53829"},{"text":"mercury-gilding","id":"x39207"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Steel, etched and partly gilt, wooden handle with copper gilt knob","categories":[{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Ceremonial objects","id":"THES48981"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tools & Equipment","id":"THES48883"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2015HT0693","2015HT0694","2015HT0695","2015HT0696","2015HT0697","2015HT0698","2015HT0699","2015HT0700","2015HT0701"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"116 (VA)","id":"THES49908"},"free":"","case":"CA006","shelf":"DR009","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"hunting knife","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1550-1600","earliest":"1550-01-01","latest":"1600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"34","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This is a knife used for chopping bone and ripping flesh from animals killed during a hunt. Knives were among the many creations of cutlers who also made table cutlery, pocket and pen knives, scriveners’ knives, hunting saws, scissors, razors, nutcrackers, swords and even surgical instruments.\r\n\r\nThe Museum acquired the knife in 1910 as part of the George Salting Bequest. Its provenance before this is unknown.","historicalContext":"During the 16th century, knives and saws had a variety of uses. Hunting sets, for example, might contain a carving knife, a flesh knife and a saw such as this for cutting bone. Surgical sets also contained saws in this form, used for amputations.\r\n\r\nLarge game hunts were rule-bound and ritualised. The elaborate decoration on hunting weapons gives an indication of how important they were to elite society. Large estates maintained stocks of game to feed their households. Stag and wild boar were revered for their strength. Hunting them was both a means to an end and a symbolic ceremony. Accompanied by music and feasting, hunts were social occasions celebrated in purpose-built lodges. \r\n\r\nThe rituals of the hunt reinforced the hierarchy. Attendants carried out specialised tasks from the maintenance of dogs to the carving of meat. Attendants dissected the kill with precision and served small pieces of raw meat to distinguished guests. A hunting trousse, a multi-socketed sheath worn on a belt, contained a variety of tools. Hunting saws cut bone. Wide-bladed knives with pointed ends removed flesh. Delicate knives cut small pieces of meat which were served on a flat knife called a presentoir. Hunting weapons lived on when their warlike counterparts had been superseded.","briefDescription":"Steel hunting knife, etched and partly gilt, wooden handle with copper gilt knob; Germany, 1550-1600.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Blackmore, Howard L., Hunting Weapons, Barrie and Jenkind Ltd, London 1971, Ch. 2"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.624-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"624","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-16","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":false}}