English Cutler Eating Set
Original: Circa 1350-1500
Small knives and other tools are frequently found during medieval archeology digs. Perhaps this is because they were so commonly carried by all classes of people. They were used as tools for everyday jobs, for cleaning and dressing game from the hunt, and of course for food preparation and eating.
Oftentimes small knives are found together with other implements such as a pricker. Basically a sharpened awl-like spike and a grip, prickers can be used for multiple tasks such as punching holes and scratching shapes, cleaning out small areas, honing a blade's edge, or for picking up food while dining.
This knife and pricker used together form a nice medieval-styled eating set. The full-tanged blades have ebony grip scales attached with brass rivets. A brass pommel cap is present on both as is a decorative brass element on the knife where the grip meets the blade. There is simple file-work on the tang at the blade's spine and a maker's mark is stamped onto one of its faces.
The set fits within a sheath made from two layers of leather stitched with a separate pocket for each piece. A basic geometric pattern is incised on its outer surface. A decorative brass hanger is included that can be riveted to a belt to act as a suspension point for the set to be hung via a leather thong.
Knife overall length: 5.75"
Knife blade length: 3.25"
Pricker overall length: 4.125"
Pricker blade length: 3"
Maker:
The English Cutler of Oxford, United Kingdom.
This item has been retired from the collection.
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