{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O94495"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O94495/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW3959/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW3959/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AW3959","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O94495/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O94495","accessionNumber":"M.101-1916","objectType":"Fish slice","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This fish slice would have been part of a silver table service. By the time this one made in 1800 to 1801 a fish slice was supplied with almost every flatware service. The advantage of silver was that it did not taint the delicate flavour of the fish. \r\n\r\nThe teeth on the upper edge of this example would have helped to divide and serve a large fish. The silver handle was hollow cast and then filled with pitch (as were knife handles). These type of handles were much more vulnerable than solid silver handles and comparatively few survive.\r\n\r\nThe fish slice evolved from the ‘Pudding Trowle’, such as the one supplied to the Earl of Kildare in 1745. The ‘trowle’ normally consisted of a triangular blade which was pierced and sawn to various designs. It was soon used for fish as well as pudding. By the 1770s, when it was suddenly fashionable to eat whitebait, silversmiths supplied a large number of trowels both with fish-shaped outlines and also pierced and chased to represent one. The earliest trowels usually had solid silver handles. Later examples had turned and stained ivory handles.","physicalDescription":"Reeded handle, curved blade, pierced with two parallel rows of slits.  Inscribed with the initial R.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Eley, William","id":"A10536"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Fearn, William","id":"A8381"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"},{"text":"piercing","id":"AAT231153"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AW3959"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"65","id":"THES49734"},"free":"","case":"25","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Fish slice","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1800-1801","earliest":"1800-05-29","latest":"1801-05-28"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by C. D. Rotch","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"10.7","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.9","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"The blade with the mark of W Eley and W Fearn and the handle with the maker's mark  \nI T","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":""},{"content":"The blade is inscribed with the initial \"R\"","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":""},{"content":"London hallmnarks for 1800-01","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Acquisition RF: Rotch\nBequest - Rotch","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Silver, London hallmarks for 1800-1, mark of William Eley 1 and William Fearn","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"FISH SLICE\r\nLondon, 1800-01\r\nOn the balde: Mark of William Eley 1 and William Fearn\r\nOn the handle:  Unidentified mark IT\r\nEngraved with the letter R.  The teeth on the upper edge would have helped to divide and serve a large fish.  The silver handle was hollow cast then filled with pitch, as were knife handles.  This made them vulnerable to heavy use, and comparatively few survive.\r\nC.D. Rotch Bequest\r\nM.101-1916","date":{"text":"26/11/1996","earliest":"1996-11-26","latest":"1996-11-26"}}],"partNumbers":["M.101-1916"],"accessionNumberNum":"101","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1916,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-03","availableToBook":false}}