ID odd pearl handled table knife...

[rynegold]

A friend has this set of smallish table cutlery. One has what appears to be an ivory replacement handle however it could be a knife of similar use/design from a different set.

The blade shape is what has me stumped. Do any of you folks know what these were for?

The blades are a little less than 3 inches in length; barely 5 inches over all, and the knives were manufactured by LF&C, an American company.



Another view:

[dognose]

Hi,

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Trev.

[rynegold]

howz that....

[rynegold]

and this one... done in this fashion as you only allow one at a time; i guess.

So: what were they used for?

[JLDoggett]

They appear to be caviar knives.

[rynegold]

They appear to be caviar knives.

Ok, that makes sense... a small curved bottom glass dish to hold the caviar, centered in a larger ice filled silver service piece; the curvature of the blade would facilitate use in such a case. Now: what of the "pick"? Any photo links to like items? I'm just curious....
The wrapped butter pat was invented in 1959. I'd think these knives made in the latter part of the 19th or early 20th cen. No?

regards, mitch

[Qrt.S]

Hi, better late than ever,

I have never heard about a caviar knife and I like to ask what in the earth would you do with a caviar knife? A caviar spoon is what you normally use when serving caviar but a knife? Kindly explain, thank you in advance.

Regards

Qrt.S

[dragonflywink]

Have seen quite a few similarly shaped caviar knives over the years, but usually a bit smaller with either horn or mother of pearl blades (or all MOP) - have to say that these look like butter spreaders to me.

~Cheryl

[silverport]

Hello

Here I like to show you types of »caviar knifes« from »August Wellner Söhne AG«, one of the big German cutlery and hollowware’s producer. Their cutlery and hollowware was almost made from plated Nickel-Silver — but it was even so possible to get the same model be made from precious alloy in each fineness be needed.

»Hotel-Silver« was part of their production — so the here shown haft-version of »caviar knifes« blades are available in Horn, Ivory and Nickel-Silver.


Plate 88, Model 20 178 = length 16 cm


Plate 88, Model 20 111 = length 18 cm

I was a curious boy; so a much elder friend of me and I visited a sales exhibition for professionals. In a show case of »Berndorfer« I saw a knife with a blade, made from Tortoiseshell. I lost my imagination — so I requested the »Berndorfer« representative, to explain.

He explained, that the knife’s destination is, to spread the sensible caviar = there was a shovel with a Tortoiseshell bowl, to take a portion out of the ice-cooled bowl — and each guest has got on his saucer a knife, for to could spread.

He explained also, that the taste of the caviar would be spoiled from metal knifes — or knifes become ugly surfaces, if they afterwards aren’t cleaned very quickly.

Yes, also I’m as a cutlery-collector hasn’t seen this form of blade before — my imagination isn’t »caviar knife« but e.g. »oranges peeler«. The “pick” is used to scratch the orange peel in segments — to enable an easier peeling.

Source of images: »Alpacca versilberte und unversilberte Bestecke, Hotel- und Tafelgeräte« Katalog XXXV der »Sächsische Metallwarenfabrik August Wellner Söhne, Aue in Sachsen« (1914), Tafel 88.

Nickel-Silver plated and non plated Cutlery, Hotel and Dining wares. Catalogue XXXV of Saxony Metal wares Factory August Wellner Sons, Aue in Saxony (ed. 1914), plate 88.

Remark: In Saxony it’s not usual, to use the ampersand - e.g. not ‘August Wellner & Sons’, but ‘August Wellner Sons’.

Kind regards silverport

[Qrt.S]

OK, now we are getting somewhere. I share Cheryl's opinion that knife looks more than a butter knife/spreader. I have also carried d the opinion that caviar should be served with something else than a metal spoon, whatsoever. Orange peeler would also be a possibility. Thank you for the additional information.

Qrt.S

[paulh]

Can I add to the speculation here? Most butter spreaders have rounded ends to the blade, whereas these have a definite point. Just right for picking up the cheese that has just been cut by the other side of the blade.

[Qrt.S]

No paulh, not cheese, I don't think so, the end is too dull for that. You would drop the slice immediately. The point should be thinner and longer and usually be like two almost "sponges" on an ordinary modern cheese knife then it would "keep" the slice. But this knife would be very suitable for peeling an orange. Think of how difficult it sometimes is to peel it without a peeler. But with this point a peace of cake, wouldn't it be, or?

[silverly]

The angle of the blade from the handle tells me that they were made to have some strength. Maybe, it was for hard butter. For peeling, I would expect them to have a sharp point to begin the process. Ultimately, they definitely look like spreaders, but because of the way they are made, I can't help but think that there might be a little more to the story.

[silverport]

Hello

Here I show a Butter knife and Cheese knife from the same producer — but the Cheese knife blade isn’t their usual version; maybe that’s a version made for the French market?

But be attend, these are servers only! They aren’t the individual’s cutlery for spreading butter or cheese on bread.


Plate 89: Model 20/85 Butter knife = length 17 cm; Model 20/86 Cheese knife = length 17.5 cm

Source of image: »Alpacca versilberte und unversilberte Bestecke, Hotel- und Tafelgeräte« Katalog XXXV der »Sächsische Metallwarenfabrik August Wellner Söhne, Aue in Sachsen« (1914), Tafel 89.

Nickel-Silver plated and non plated Cutlery, Hotel and Dining wares. Catalogue XXXV of Saxony Metal wares Factory August Wellner Sons, Aue in Saxony (ed. 1914), plate 89.

I tend furthermore to the theory that the knives are maybe orange peelers. I live here between orange yards and the Atlantic Ocean — when the people are working in the country side and rest, they use the thumbs nail to peel an orange; and I too during my botanic research - we don't need a sharp knife!

I request »rynegold« to make a test peeling; first scratch only with the “pick” — then use the front side of the blade as usual.

Kind regards silverport