fish-knife;
fish-fork;
cutlery-case
- Museum number
- 1981,0711.1-24
- Description
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Set of twelve fish knives and forks; silver, stamped and hand-finished, with a ribbon motif round the stem and foliate motifs on the reverse, the blades of the knives engraved with a swirling pattern, the forks engraved with a 'crab-leg' motif; the owner's initials engraved on the handles; contained in the original green cloth-covered case with cream velvet interior and decorative paper band on the lid, an upper removable tray holds the first six pairs; retailer's name on a silk ribbon inside the lid.
- Production date
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1901 (designed and made;circa)
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1903-1907 (retailed between)
- Dimensions
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Length: 22 centimetres (Knives)
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Length: 18.70 centimetres (forks)
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- Curator's comments
- Text from J. Rudoe, 'Decorative Arts 1850-1950. A catalogue of the British Museum collection'. 2nd ed. no. 296.
For a fish knife and fork of this design stamped with German assay marks and '800' silver standard mark, together with the factory mark of the Vereinigte Silberwaren-Farbriken, Düsseldorf, see Solingen 1979, Deutsches Klingenmuseum, 'Bestecke des Jugendstils', R. Sanger, no.102, an example formerly in the possession of Friedrich August III (1865-1932) and bearing his monogram.
As with the Behrens cutlery designed for the Düsseldorf firm of F. Bahner, this service was made for export to Denmark in the higher 830 silver standard (see Decorative Arts 1850-1950, Cat. 14). The Vereinigte Silberwaren-Fabriken was in fact an offshoot of the Bahner family firm. It was founded in 1887 as the Silberwarenfabrik Gebrüder Bahner by Anton junior and Wilhelm (sons of Anton Bahner the elder), and in 1901 became the Vereinigte Silberwaren-Fabriken Bahner AG, Düsseldorf.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1981
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1981,0711.1-24
