A Paeremes

Jack Black said:
Maybe one of the crew that didn't get changed back, after Circe turned them all into swine! :D

Here's a couple of those Iron Age Sheepsfoot knives :thumbup:



Click to expand...
You could easily see the bottom design develop into the Paeremes.
 
QJerry said:
You could easily see the bottom design develop into the Paeremes.
Click to expand...

You might also be interested in this passage from the same source, Cutlery For The Table: A History of British Table & Pocket Cutlery by Simon Moore:

Cutlers from mediaeval Flanders and Holland produced knives with latten hafts in many forms which were imported into this country. Some were lost in the River Thames and have only recently been excavated. The latten hafts are quite decorative, with twists, openwork, swan finials and starbursts. These hafts were gradually superseded by organic-scaled hafts, but their makers started a trend of adding a decorative finial to the top of a knife's haft during the later 15th century. The trend enhanced many previously-plain tang plates and haft caps. Each finial was cast in latten, (occasionally in pewter) and soldered onto the end of the scale tang. They were often made in abstract designs, but the most favoured were the horse's hoof or a zoomorph head as a great number of these types have been found....Many such knives were probably imported from the Continent, but a group of immigrant Dutch or Flemish cutlers appear to have set up shop in the Billingsgate area of London since many finialled knives and unfinished finials themselves have been excavated from this area alone. Large numbers of finialled knives have also been dredged from the rivers Scheldt and Meuse and also uncovered during excavations in Amsterdam.

Further diversification of this pattern appeared as flat plaques of latten, paired and riveted together to form a knife haft finial. These were engraved beforehand with pleasing pictures of animals, human figures, abstracts and, more importantly, saints. Religious terminal knives would have made suitable christening gifts for children, their patron saint engraved on the haft plaque. These were sometimes accompanied by a Flemish or Dutch epithet such as Nemet in Dienst - 'Take into Service' engraved onto a narrow fillet of latten let into the scales. The saint-plaque finials obviously vary in subject; some depict a holy man holding a knife, which may be St Lawrence, although he is normally represented holding a gridiron. He is the patron saint of ironmongers, including cutlers. Another popular subject is St Barbara, the patron saint of gunners - she stands holding the tower in which her father imprisoned her...
Click to expand...
 
QJerry said:
I will acquire that book, that's great information.
Click to expand...

I hope that you can find a copy. I'm finding it fascinating reading, and was previously totally ignorant about the Dutch cutlery influence. I dare say that there are books specifically about the Dutch cutlers. I'm sure you already know this, but several paintings by the Bruegels show knives being used and carried, as do the works of some other Dutch painters from the same period.

56a7120d205660477c74ea8884037e96.jpg


bruegel34.jpg
 
Congratulations on commissioning such a superb traditional knife, QJerry!! :thumbup::thumbup:
My ancestors emigrated from the Netherlands to the US around 1900, so I enjoy learning about Dutch knives. Do you know of any sources that describe Dutch folders? Thanks, and enjoy that beautiful paeremes!

- GT
 
There are some contemporary Dutch custom makers GT :thumbup:
 
Thanks so much for sharing the story! The finished work is gorgeous, and I find myself more than a little envious.
 
GT, Through most of the last century the popular folder in the Netherlands was a Solingen Hippekniep.
Solingen is closer to all of the Netherlands than it is to most of Germany, so it's pretty understandable we got our cutlery from them.

We have a knife company in Apeldoorn, the AMEFA company, but it produces mostly tableware now and they have some stock Chinese folders.
 
Thanks for the information about Dutch folders, Jack and QJerry; much appreciated! :thumbup::)

- GT
 
Being from the Netherlands as well I knew about this style of knife. It is nice to see them still being made. Yours is outstanding! I like the little piggy :-)
 
Thanks again for a great thread :thumbup:
 
PythonDR said:
Nice! How's it working for you?
Click to expand...

It's great, a great slicer for large pieces of beef, but delicate enough to take a chicken apart.
The only thing is, I have to keep an eye on it all the time. I'm afraid someone will steal it or chop at trees. This will pass, I think.
 
This is an amazing thread with so much history and personality to it. So great that you took the time to document it all and get the work done by such talented people.

Makes it difficult for me to call any of my attempts at a ball and cage anything other than an attempt. Such wonderfully fine detailed carving. It does inspire me though.

Thanks again for sharing!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top