Featured Sterling Knife & Fork Set Fish?

Hi,
Knife and fork set, sterling marks for 1880 Sheffield Harrison Bros & Howson. The knife is 12 1/2"L, the fork is 10"L - would this be a fish set? Also,unsure of the handles, maybe Ivory? There is some discolouration but I'm not seeing any lines. Also, is there a name for the design on the handles?
Any information appreciated
thanks for looking

 

Likely for fish, for serving it rather than eating it, of course.

I would call the handles "beaded with acanthus leaves." It's awfully hard to tell what they're made of, maybe ivory, or possibly an early form of "French ivory" or "ivorine?" Not sure when those came into being, and with sterling, the handle material should not be "cheap."

 

That's a nice set. Nicer than usual.

 

"Ivorine", "French Ivory" etc, are all names for CELLULOID.

...which, I believe, this is. It doesn't look like ivory at all. I reckon it's celluloid. Celluloid being the wonder-material of the day, I wouldn't be surprised to see it paired with silver. Celluloid certainly existed back in 1880, so they're probably the original handles.

Celluloid was invented in the 1850s or 60s as a cheap replacement for real ivory, so it was designed to look as much like ivory as possible, but you can never make a copy look like the real thing...

 

Thanks, Shangas. I wasn't sure about when it was first used.

 

Celluloid came out in the late 1850s or early 1860s (you'll have to check).

It was originally called Parkesine. Then Xylonite. Then Celluloid. But it went under LOADS of different names. It was also called French Ivory, Ivorine, and Permanite, to name just a handful. There's probably loads of other names. But they're all basically describing the same thing.

Early celluloid was EXTREMELY combustible and could flare up really fast. So while it could be extremely strong and could be moulded and carved and coloured and stained...it did have an Achilles Heel.

 

what's the discoloration on the forks handle ?.....please...
oh btw....they're delightful CX !!!!

 

Sorry for not responding sooner, my roof has sprung a leak, several actually, so I've been busy placing containers to catch the drips.
Acanthus leaves - thank-you bakers!
Thanks for all the information on celluloid shangas - I didn't think it was made that early, I always thought it was 1910-20 time period. So celluloid handles they are
Komokwa, I think the staining is from the production of the pieces.

 

Celluloid rose in prominence in the 1920s, but it was used prior to that point. You have to understand that celluloid and bakelite (although moreso celluloid) were the wonder-materials of the day. They were like carbon-fibre or high-end, fireproof ceramics or something that we make today. But the core of celluloid was that it was invented (initially) to replace ivory, which is why a lot of 'ivory' things were actually made of celluloid - billiard balls, razor-handles, cutlery (like here), and so-on.

The discoloration on the handle is either from staining, or from outgassing or sunlight damage. One of celluloid's more noticeable traits is that the colour fades over time (especially if an item is exposed to intense sunlight).

Celluloid of a sort, was discovered in the 1850s (it was a byproduct of the photography industry of the day), but it was several decades before it became practical to use it for manufacturing. Progress was made in the 1860s (and moreso in the 70s and 80s), but celluloid as its own product (and not as a substitute for something else) didn't really happen until around/after WWI. Celluloid was used for combs, for pens, for razors, for radios...the list is almost endless.

Removing the discoloration on the handle might, or might not be possible. It depends on how it got there. Personally I wouldn't bother about it.

 

I'm with MOS on this one. Really nice set CX

 

Here is a box set of silverplated Harrison Bros & Howson fish servers with sterling mounts and Carter's something or other saying the handles are ivory. Mind you, one certainly couldn't prove the handles are ivory, celluloid, or bone by me!

The top row, far right, keep clicking the image for a larger pic:
http://www.carters.com.au/index.cfm/index/5640-fish-servers-silver-plate/
or directly to the image:
http://img.carters.com.au/25fa52d1cab3a3e58808aaa201f87758.jpg

Here's is an 1885 Sheffield sterling set by them with the handles looking almost identical to yours that the seller is claiming are ivory.
http://www.onlinegalleries.com/art-...-silver-and-ivory-handled-fish-servers/174896

and this 1860 Sheffield sterling set:
http://www.onlinegalleries.com/art-and-antiques/detail/antique-victorian-pair-of-sterling-silver-&-ivory-handled-fish-servers/144156

and, Lot 97, hammer price $50.00:
http://www.matthewbartonltd.com/catalogues/mb240511/page4.html

Again, I want to stress that I don't know if the handles are ivory, celluloid, or bone.

--- Susan

 

The reason I say that these (and those in the links from Susan, which I've looked at) are celluloid and not ivory, is because...quite frankly...

It looks too bloody perfect.

Ivory is famous for its smooth, flawless finish - but it's not THAT perfect. It's still going to have striations, lines, variations in colouration, a grain to it that you can SEE WITH YOUR EYES.

Do you see ANY of that in those handles? I don't. It's PERFECT. And only celluloid is perfect because it's a plastic.

 

Very pretty set. The darker areas may have been done to make it look more like bone with age.

 

I won't do anything to it, the new owner can if they like.

 

What a stunning set. Looking at the prices from Susan's links, if these are sterling, you have a nice find.

(The "lot 97 $50 hammer price" link was listed as electroplate.)

Beautiful!