Mappin & Webb - Table knife set (5) - Silver, Steel, Horn, Wood

A Victorian carving set with horn and silver handles by Mappin & Webb.
Victorian era, late 19th century
Measurements: the larger knife 41 cm, the smaller 32 cm. Box 46 x 18 x 5 cm

Set of 5 pieces, deer horn, silver fittings, blades and serving pieces in silver-plated metal, knife lengths 41 cm and 32 cm, silver fittings bearing the Mappin & Webb mark, Sheffield Assay Office guarantee mark 1887/88, in the original Mappin & Webb case (damaged)

Mappin & Webb was a renowned jewellers and silversmiths firm founded in Sheffield with prestigious shops in London, England. During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, between the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, these sets were created to serve aristocratic meals and large family celebrations. They were manufactured by pairing Sheffield-tempered steel blades with real deer horn handles intricately carved and hand-finished with metal detailing.

Such place settings were used by hosts to carve roasted meat and poultry during formal luncheons in the dining rooms of noble houses. The pieces were carefully stored inside lined cases to protect the horn and silver from wear over time. With time and changing dining habits toward simpler cookery and less elaborate service, the use of these large serving sets gradually declined.