Knives and Forks
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Knives and Forks |
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This twelve piece set of
knives and forks is of silver and parcel-gilt with carved ivory handles. It
was made for Burges’s own use in 1871. Inscribed in red on each of the
handles is: ‘WILL M S BURGES / AD : MDCCCLXXI’. |
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of every handle is carved an alembic (a piece of apparatus for distilling,
commonly used by medieval alchemists) being heated over a stylised fire.
This image appears elsewhere in designs by Burges, although its significance
is unclear. On the other side of the knife handles are figures in 13th
century costume symbolising meats, whilst those on the fork handles
represent vegetables. On the fork handles pea, mushroom, cabbage, pumpkin
and onion have been identified, the latter carrying a handkerchief. Those on
the knife handles represent an ox carrying a pole-axe, a boar wearing a gold
chain (suggesting its association with wealth and power), a rabbit looking
over its shoulder and dropping its weapons (suggesting timidity), a stag
with a hunting horn, a sheep with a distaff, and one less clearly
identifiable figure which may be a pig. The carving was probably carried out
by the sculptor Thomas Nicholls, who worked for Burges on many churches and
domestic schemes from the 1860s onwards. The backs of the forks are
decorated with lion masks and foliage scrollwork in parcel gilt, with a knot
of applied trefoils around the neck [?]. Even on this small scale, Burges displays a love of symbolism and medieval imagery in his designs. These items were intended for use as well as amusement and visual pleasure, and Burges is reported to have said ‘what is the use of having pretty things unless one makes use of them’ (Crook, p.317). One wonders whether such items might have overwhelmed some guests. In a highly appreciative account of her visit to Tower House, Mrs R.H (Mary) Haweis, a woman critic and self-styled arbiter of taste, listed many of the extraordinary drinking and eating implements (including knife handles) ‘which those who have had the privilege of dining with Mr Burges know the pleasure (and pain) of handling…’ (Crook, p.312). |
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