{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O48542"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O48542/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8463/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8463/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM8463","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8437","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8436","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8435","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8066","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O48542","accessionNumber":"M.33-2000","objectType":"Table knife","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>The table knife evolved from the personal knives used before the 18th century. It was designed to be used at dinner as part of a matching cutlery set. Table knives became larger, with longer blades, to cut the meats and vegetables of the main courses of the meal.<br><br><b>The Victorian Dining Table</b><br>From the 1860s Victorian society embraced the new method of serving dinner known as <i>à la Russe</i>, which fundamentally changed the look of the dining table. Previously foods had been set out in silver and ceramic dishes and diners helped themselves, but with dinner <i> à la Russe</i> each course was served individually to guests by servants. The silver entrée dishes and ceramic tureens gave way to lavish floral displays in glass vases and ceramic fruit stands. The cover or place setting assumed a greater importance and occupied a larger area of the dining table. Mrs Beeton's <i>Book of Household Management</i> advised in 1888: 'We now come to the knives and forks ... it is usual to lay two large of each, flanked to the right by a fish knife and a soup spoon, and on the left by the fish fork; other knives and forks are supplied with the plates for the different courses.'<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>From the 1840s mass-produced cutlery, machine-made in Sheffield, expanded the choice of quality and pattern for consumers. This knife was made in the popular King's pattern, but the Sheffield manufacturers James Dixon & Sons offered 28 different designs for cutlery sets in their catalogue of 1892.","physicalDescription":"Knife, silver handle, steel blade, Kings pattern","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"D. & J. Wellby","id":"A9079"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"}],"techniques":[{"text":"die stamping","id":"AAT53224"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Steel blade, with stamped silver handle","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"},{"text":"British Galleries","id":"THES48985"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AM8463","2006AM8437","2006AM8436","2006AM8435","2006AM8066"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"125B (VA)","id":"THES49893"},"free":"","case":"CA2","shelf":"","box":"2"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Table knife","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1894-1895","earliest":"1894-01-01","latest":"1895-12-31"},"association":{"text":"hallmarked","id":"x32454"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"278","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"12","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"\"D & J.Wellby, London\"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"On the blade.","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On the blade."},{"content":"Sterling hall mark","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"On the ferrule","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On the ferrule"},{"content":"Sterling, leopard's head and another illegible hall mark - perhaps a date letter. Possible makers mark but almost illegible \" H?W?\" in a rectangle.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"On the handle","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On the handle"}],"objectHistory":"Manufactured by D. & J. Wellby, London","historicalContext":"<b>Object Type</b><br>\r\nThe table knife evolved from the personal knives used before the 18th century. It was designed to be used at dinner as part of a matching cutlery set. Table knives became larger, with longer blades, to cut the meats and vegetables of the main courses of the meal.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>The Victorian Dining Table</b><br>\r\nFrom the 1860s Victorian society embraced the new method of serving dinner known as <i>à la Russe</i>, which fundamentally changed the look of the dining table. Previously foods had been set out in silver and ceramic dishes and diners helped themselves, but with dinner <i> à la Russe</i> each course was served individually to guests by servants. The silver entrée dishes and ceramic tureens gave way to lavish floral displays in glass vases and ceramic fruit stands. The cover or place setting assumed a greater importance and occupied a larger area of the dining table. Mrs Beeton's <i>Book of Household Management</i> advised in 1888: 'We now come to the knives and forks ... it is usual to lay two large of each, flanked to the right by a fish knife and a soup spoon, and on the left by the fish fork; other knives and forks are supplied with the plates for the different courses.'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Design & Designing</b><br>\r\nFrom the 1840s mass-produced cutlery, machine-made in Sheffield, expanded the choice of quality and pattern for consumers. This knife was made in the popular King's pattern, but the Sheffield manufacturers James Dixon & Sons offered 28 different designs for cutlery sets in their catalogue of 1892.","briefDescription":"Table knife, steel blade with silver handle, Kings Pattern, made by D & J Wellby, London; 1894.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"John Culme, The Directory of Gold and Silversmiths, Jewellers and Allied Traders 1838-1914, Vol 1, Antique Collectors' Club, 1987 pp. 476"}],"production":"Hall marking year from May 1845-May 1846","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nTABLE KNIVES AND FORKS<br>\nThis pattern of cutlery, known as King's Pattern, was highly popular and became a standard design. It was more expensive than many patterns. A dozen silver table forks could cost £8 whereas a dozen Fiddle Pattern forks were sold by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co. for only £5 12s 6d (£5.62.5p) in 1896.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["M.33-2000"],"accessionNumberNum":"33","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":2000,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN3006","2019LR0112","2019LR6115","2019LV7452"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2000-09-20","availableToBook":false}}