Cleveland Museum of Art

Knife Handle (manche de couteau)

Saint Cloud Porcelain Factory

Date

c. 1710–1730

Medium

soft-paste porcelain, steel blade

Culture

France, Saint Cloud, early 18th Century

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Prior to the 18th century, personal flatware was produced in expensive materials as a luxury item that communicated wealth and status. Porcelain handles were introduced at the beginning of the 18th century, likely by the Saint-Cloud factory. This handle is decorated with a pattern in underglaze blue inspired by porcelain imported from China and has been fitted to a steel blade. The Saint-Cloud porcelain factory was the first successful European manufacturer of soft-paste porcelain, a slightly off-white product that attempted to emulate the prized hard-paste porcelain produced by China and Japan.

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