What-is-it question LXXXIX.

[2209patrick]

This sterling silver piece is hallmarked London, 1678, Francis Garthorne.
It's 25.75 inches (65.4 cm.) long.
What was it called?



Pat.
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[byron mac donald]

A small expensive cricket bat? :-)
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[Doos]

Hi,

I was thinking of a tongue spatula/depressor but it is a bit large for that.
Maybe a spanking bat for rich kids.
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[dognose]

Hi Pat,

Is it a page turner?

Trev.
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[2209patrick]

Hello eveyone.
Great ideas, but this piece was used for a different purpose.

Not many sterling examples survived to this day.
The 17th century ones that can be found today are generally steel.

The purpose of this piece had something to do with food.
It was used with a large circular dish.

Pat.
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[Doos]

Hi,

One of my first impressions was a pancake (crepe) flipper, but I couldn't imagine that being a dish in the 18th century. Not sure why not.
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[2209patrick]

Hello Doos.
It was not used to prepare pancakes or crepes according to my book.
Probably could have been used that way if they did have those types of meals back then.

Here's another clue. It did have something to do with food, but not preparing or serving food.
Remember, we're talking about the 17th century here.

Pat.
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[Doos]

Hi,

Maybe to pass things along on the table? Instead of reaching for the salt.
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[2209patrick]

Passing things at the table was my first thought when I saw this piece.
However that is not what we're looking for here, but you are headed in the right direction.

I have a feeling even if someone identifies the purpose they probably won't know the name.
That will be good enough for me and I'll post the name afterwords.

Pat.
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[paulh]

Hello Patrick,

What does the engraving say? I have an idea that it is some kind of ritual dubbing or initiation device from an obscure 17th century guild.


Paul
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[2209patrick]

Hello Paul.
The book only has the one picture. I enhanced the image the best I could.
Can't read it myself, but maybe someone else can.



Did some more digging in my books and found one description that also said "Originally the form may have been intended as a serving knife or a presentoire".
So Doos, your idea of something to to pass things along on the table might have been correct at some time.
Sorry I didn't see that earlier.

My books call it a "Voiding Knife". The dish it was used with was called a "Voider" (or Voyder).
The voiding knife was used to clear a table into the voider after a meal.
The collected meat leftovers were largely for charitable contributions.
These items originated in the medieval period.

The voiding knife pictured above is a 17th century replacement of an earlier example.
It belongs to the Drapers' Company located in London England.

Pat.
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[Doos]

Hi,

Never would have guessed that.
It has a nice cut-card ornamentation.
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[kerangoumar]

Another name for a voider - perhaps more familiar to some readers - is "slop bowl"
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[kerangoumar]

The Court of Edward Barkham
Knight and Elderman
Third line - can't make out.

Most likely Sir Edward Barkham, 2nd Bt.; born in 1628 died in 1688 without issue
so perhaps he left his voiding knife to the Drapers or to someone else who passed it on.

Could be used as a croupier's rake, in a pinch.
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[kerangoumar]

of course, it could have been his father the 1st Baronet, depending on when the original was made. This is perhaps the only remaining voiding knife as any book I have come across that mentions such uses it as "the" example.
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