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| Georgian Silver Butterknife with Mother of Pearl Handle - Ledsam, Vale, Wheeler, Nacre
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Reference: S11285
Period: George IV
Year: 1829
Silversmith: Ledsam, Vale & Wheeler
Place: Birmingham
Price: $ 180.00
Weight: 41 grams
Dimensions: 19.5 cm
Condition: Excellent, handle securely fastened, mop perfect, no chips.
Description: An interesting and well travelled Georgian silver butterknife, with carved mother of pearl (nacre) handle. The butterknife has a scimitar shaped solid silver blade, with irregular wavy top, engraved with reeded bands and fan decoration. The handle has carved beads, bands and a fan like structure, this gives a good grip and pleasant feel in the hand. A silver ferrule covers the join between blade and handle. The knife is clearly hallmarked with 5 Birmingham hallmarks, including makers mark LV&W for Ledsam, Vale and Wheeler, this mark used between 1826 (when Wheeler joined Ledsam & Vale) and 1834. The blade also has 3 additional hallmarks, the first a shaped V, a Dutch duty mark for foreign silver used between 1814 -1831, so the knife entered the Netherlands shortly after it was made. The other 2 hallmarks are French, Minerva facing right (guarantee mark for foreign silver) and the Bigorne (beak-iron) mark with insect, used as a counter mark between 1819 and 1838, all these marks are clear. the book "Pocket Fruit Knives" by Simon Moore, page 132 describes "Pearl Cutting" as a profession who specialized in carving nacre knife handles (mother of pearl) with specialists linked to specific silversmiths, in the early 19th century nacre was cheap, easy to carve and durable.
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Georgian silver butterknife MOP handle
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Antique silver butter knife back
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Mother of Pearl MOP Nacre handle
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Silver ferrule
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Ledsam Vale Wheeler Birmingham 1829 silver hallmarks, Dutch tax hallmark
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Silver hallmarks, French Bigorne (beak iron) insect counter mark at base
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Georgian silver butterknife MOP handle, French Minerva hallmark on blade
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