A very interesting collection of knife rests can be built up, particularly if the collector seeks them in other materials in addition to sterling silver. The added advantage is that the general cost of establishing such a collection is lessened. Such a collection can then be sold at a later stage and the money re-invested in something more costly.

Basically the knife rest is a simple rod with a support at either end which keeps the rod clear of the table and enables it to support carving implements. The interest of knife rests lies mainly in the amazing diversity of ideas, many of which are novel, that brightened up this ordinary object. Animals were well-favoured as the supports and included elephants, camels, lions, monkeys, owls and so on. Others may be delicate, in the form of butterflies, or rather impressive, featuring peacocks or unicorns. Sometimes the supports are not disguised at all, perhaps merely decorated a little. Thistles, flowers or gnarled branches might grace others. Knife rests became more general in the nineteenth century.

Bookmarkers

Many people do not realise that metal bookmarkers were made, and are surprised to learn that they exist in sterling silver. Yet they do and, what is more important, those who wish to collect them will have to apply themselves to the task quickly for the price of the silver bookmarker is well on the increase. Bookmarks are shaped something like a blade, the silver being cut away by about one-sixteenth-of-an-inch in a line running parallel with the edge of the ‘blade’, so that this can be attached to a page, with its decorative end protruding as the marker. Handles take various ornamental forms which might include birds, animals, flowers, polished stones, and so on. They mostly date from the later years of the nineteenth century.

Antique Collector Magazine

Baby rattles

It is a mystery how so many baby rattles are still in existence, considering the rough treatment they must have suffered, but happily this is so and delightful examples can be seen. Silver rattles were known in Tudor times but those available today usually date from the late eighteenth, nineteenth or early twentieth century. Georgian and certain nineteenth century examples were well-made, and incorporated pieces of coral or ivory for gum soothing, little bells and sometimes whistles. They were almost always attractively decorated, perhaps being embossed, engraved or bright-cut, with their bells similarly decorated. They are generally fully-hallmarked, and even the separate pieces might be punched with the lion passant. Edwardian examples also have their attraction, and might be shaped at one end in the form of Punch’s head, the handle or gum soother sometimes being made of coral. The types vary and some are quite simple. Look at the bells carefully, as these have often been replaced and thus sometimes do not all match.

Toast racks

These were made in sterling silver and Sheffield plate from the later years of the eighteenth century, and also in electro-plate when this was introduced. Early examples, which were commonly sold in pairs, usually consisted of a tray divided by wire into sections which might contain four, six or eight slices of toast. A frame later replaced the tray and an ever-increasing variety of designs was introduced, including combined toast and egg frames, although it was not until the 1840s that toast racks were registered at the Patent Office, ensuring three years‘ protection from unscrupulous designers who might steal each other’s ideas. Toast racks were decorated in the various ornate styles beloved of the Victorians and, because of this, certain surprisingly simple versions, which were produced in electro-plate and sterling silver during the final years of the nineteenth century and early twentieth, have drawn attention to themselves.

Toasting forks

Toasting forks were made both in sterling silver and Sheffield plate, but the sterling silver examples date from a much earlier time, a rare extant example being made in 1561. A common type made after the last decade or so of the eighteenth century was harpoon-shaped with slightly curved barbs. In use by the turn of the nineteenth century was the toasting fork with a telescopic handle in three or four sections, with a grip often ofpolished hard wood. Sterling silver examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, include one made in silver and ebony as early as 1669. Other early silver-mounted specimens dating from 1680 to 1735, and a silver telescopic example dated 1805, can be seen at the Museum.

Porringers

This term embraces various forms of two-handled, covered cups which were put to different uses, long-defunct since most of the beverages they contained are no longer imbibed. However, they are attractive vessels and happily still survive in reasonable numbers. Although they are generally described as two-handled cups, they are really more of a deep bowl, with two facing handles and usually a removable lid or cover. The word porringer, it is generally assumed, has nothing to do with porridge, the thought which springs instantly to mind, but is more likely to be derived from the French potage (soup), for which it was used.

Another type was the baluster-shaped caudle cup, caudle being a fine gruel mixed with wine, spices, sugar and other ingredients, while the posset cup was used for the drink of that name, which was taken hot and usually made of milk curdled with wine or ale and flavoured with various spices. These vessels were produced in extremes of sizes ranging from those for individual portions - and smaller - to others measuring as much as 15 inches from handle to handle. Some had an accompanying matching salver.

The rounded two-handled cup with a more rotund lower body was commonly decorated by embossing in a floral pattern, while the domed lid or cover was similarly embossed and surmounted by a finial. Some cups are plain or sparsely-decorated. Others have more straight-sided bowls which taper gradually to a foot with a shallow moulded base, and these may be decorated by cut-card work, embossed naturalistic motifs or the delightful chinoiseries typical of the late seventeenth century when these cups were mostly in use. Examples can be seen in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Sometimes they may also be seen in better antique silver shops.

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Knife rests