Lot 1629 ♣ - S20 An important private collection of antique cutlery - Thursday, 21. March 2024, 10.00 AM
IMPRESSIVE SERVING KNIFE, so-called PRÉSENTOIR
Probably Königsberg, late 16th/early 17th century.
Octagonal flat handle made of ivory and amber. The center of the handle is formed by a long amber section with ivory edges, above and below it are alternating ivory and amber segments. There are narrow brass plates between the individual elements. The large amber plates on the handle are underlaid with gold foil and decorated with Venus under a canopy, inscribed VENUS and the depiction of a crowned man with a cross and sphere, inscribed SOL. A five-pass ivory handle crown forms the handle end. In addition to four round amber inlays, the handle crown is decorated with two small églomisé inlays with an unknown coat of arms (fleur de lys, monogram EI (?), possibly the coat of arms of the Imhof family from Basel). The narrow sides beneath the amber are inscribed GEVE GOT SOVEL ALSE SE MI GONNE or ALLE DIE (...) DEN (?), some indistinct. A brass baluster forms the handle end. Wide iron blade, profiled blade bolster. A smith's mark inlaid with copper.
L 52 cm.
For the exportation of this item a CITES license is required. Prospective buyers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. For further information please contact the department.
Cracks and signs of wear in the amber and ivory, some chips and chipping. The églomisé inlays show damage to both sides. Blade corroded.
Cf. Georg Laue. Kostbare Bestecke für die Kunstkammern Europas. Munich, 2010. p. 104. Laue places his examples in Königsberg and dates them to around 1580 on the basis of a stylistically similar example from the Mainfränkisches Museum in Würzburg. Furthermore, the use of gold foil under the amber plate is similar to that of the item on offer. This type of magnificent cutlery can be found in numerous renowned museums worldwide, namely the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (inv. no. M.920 & A-1926), the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (there as knife handle inv. no. 18062), the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden (there as knife handle, inv. no. III 88 ff/1) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna (inv. no. D207).
For further comparative pieces, see:
- Arthur Pabst, Die Kunstsammlungen Richard Zschille in Grossenhain, Besteck-Sammlung Speise- Tisch- Gärtner-Geräte und Werkzeuge. Berlin. 1893, plate 22, fig. 136.
- Jochen Amme. Historische Bestecke, Collection Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum Aachen, 2011. p. 79, fig. 35.
- Jochen Amme. Bestecke Die Egloffstein'sche Sammlung auf der Wartburg. Stuttgart, 1994. pp. 56/57, figs. 42/43. See in particular the small medallions in the handle finials underlaid with gold foil.
- A pair of cutlery with figurative gold foil motifs like in the item on offer: Bayerisches Nationalmuseum. Cf. Gertrud Benker. Alte Bestecke, ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Tischkultur. Munich. 1978, p. 70, fig. 86.
- Collection of the Klingenmuseum Solingen (Inv. No. L.020 a-d)
The item on offer comes with a trade license for the EU. Due to the use of protected materials, this object may not leave the EU.
Cf. Georg Laue. Kostbare Bestecke für die Kunstkammern Europas. Munich, 2010. p. 104. Laue places his examples in Königsberg and dates them to around 1580 on the basis of a stylistically similar example from the Mainfränkisches Museum in Würzburg. Furthermore, the use of gold foil under the amber plate is similar to that of the item on offer. This type of magnificent cutlery can be found in numerous renowned museums worldwide, namely the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (inv. no. M.920 & A-1926), the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (there as knife handle inv. no. 18062), the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden (there as knife handle, inv. no. III 88 ff/1) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna (inv. no. D207).
For further comparative pieces, see:
- Arthur Pabst, Die Kunstsammlungen Richard Zschille in Grossenhain, Besteck-Sammlung Speise- Tisch- Gärtner-Geräte und Werkzeuge. Berlin. 1893, plate 22, fig. 136.
- Jochen Amme. Historische Bestecke, Collection Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum Aachen, 2011. p. 79, fig. 35.
- Jochen Amme. Bestecke Die Egloffstein'sche Sammlung auf der Wartburg. Stuttgart, 1994. pp. 56/57, figs. 42/43. See in particular the small medallions in the handle finials underlaid with gold foil.
- A pair of cutlery with figurative gold foil motifs like in the item on offer: Bayerisches Nationalmuseum. Cf. Gertrud Benker. Alte Bestecke, ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Tischkultur. Munich. 1978, p. 70, fig. 86.
- Collection of the Klingenmuseum Solingen (Inv. No. L.020 a-d)
The item on offer comes with a trade license for the EU. Due to the use of protected materials, this object may not leave the EU.
Cracks and signs of wear in the amber and ivory, some chips and chipping. The églomisé inlays show damage to both sides. Blade corroded.Cf. Georg Laue. Kostbare Bestecke für die Kunstkammern Europas. Munich, 2010. p. 104. Laue places his examples in Königsberg and dates them to around 1580 on the basis of a stylistically similar example from the Mainfränkisches Museum in Würzburg. Furthermore, the use of gold foil under the amber plate is similar to that of the item on offer. This type of magnificent cutlery can be found in numerous renowned museums worldwide, namely the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (inv. no. M.920 & A-1926), the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (there as knife handle inv. no. 18062), the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden (there as knife handle, inv. no. III 88 ff/1) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna (inv. no. D207).For further comparative pieces, see:- Arthur Pabst, Die Kunstsammlungen Richard Zschille in Grossenhain, Besteck-Sammlung Speise- Tisch- Gärtner-Geräte und Werkzeuge. Berlin. 1893, plate 22, fig. 136.- Jochen Amme. Historische Bestecke, Collection Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum Aachen, 2011. p. 79, fig. 35.- Jochen Amme. Bestecke Die Egloffstein'sche Sammlung auf der Wartburg. Stuttgart, 1994. pp. 56/57, figs. 42/43. See in particular the small medallions in the handle finials underlaid with gold foil.- A pair of cutlery with figurative gold foil motifs like in the item on offer: Bayerisches Nationalmuseum. Cf. Gertrud Benker. Alte Bestecke, ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Tischkultur. Munich. 1978, p. 70, fig. 86.- Collection of the Klingenmuseum Solingen (Inv. No. L.020 a-d)The item on offer comes with a trade license for the EU. Due to the use of protected materials, this object may not leave the EU.
CHF 10 000 / 15 000 | (€ 10 310 / 15 460)
Sold for CHF 37 500 (including buyer’s premium)
All information is subject to change.