Knife with Triangular Pattern Ivory and Bone Handle
ca. 1610
Classification
cutlery
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
The Robert L. Metzenberg Collection, gift of Eleanor L. Metzenberg
Accession Number
1985-103-87
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of Jacobean England with this exquisite *Knife with Triangular Pattern Ivory and Handle*, crafted around 1610 by the esteemed London Cutler's Company. This guild, a powerhouse of skilled knifemakers since the late 16th century, the trade and elevated cutlery from utilitarian tools to symbols of status. The knife handle, intricately adorned with a repeating triangular pattern in luxurious ivory and bone, showcases the era's mastery of decorative carving and inlay techniques, blending functionality with elegance. In the early 1600s, under King James I, personal cutle...