{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O95071"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O95071/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8442/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8442/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM8442","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O95071/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O95071","accessionNumber":"M.27A-1967","objectType":"Butter knife","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This piece of cutlery has the typical features of a butter spreader or knife. It is small and has a wide blade with a curved unsharpened edge. As the name suggests, diners used it spread butter. Examples with a silver blade were made from about the 1770s onwards.  \r\n\r\nToday, ‘cutlery’ refers to knives, forks and spoons in general. Historically, cutlers made only the knife-blade (of steel). Knife-handles, spoons and forks, together with servers and other table implements made by silversmiths are known as ‘flatware’. Francis Higgins, who made this butter knife, specialised in spoons and forks. \r\n\r\nThe main technique for decorating flatware was die-stamping. The silver ‘blanks’ were pressed between two steel dies or moulds previously carved with the imprint of the design. The dies were expensive to produce and intended for mass-production.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Higgins, Francis","id":"A3520"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AM8442"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"67","id":"THES49731"},"free":"","case":"19","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Butter knife","id":"AAT43120"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1858-1859","earliest":"1858-05-29","latest":"1859-05-28"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"1.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"20.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"3.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Maker, F.H. for Francis Higgins, leopard’s head, lion passant, date letter r, duty mark","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":"Quilted Grecian Hybrid in Beldon and South facing p62 “Ornamental Elizabethan”","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":"Specialised implements for spreading butter with a wide blade and curved blunt edge developed in the eighteenth century but flourished on theVictorian table. In the nineteenth century, Francis Higgins was one of the most important specialist spoon and fork makers.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.27A-1967"],"accessionNumberNum":"27","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1967,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-03","availableToBook":false}}