Cutlery History
An Invitation to a Free Presentation...
If you don’t know me, let me share that I am a bit of a polymath. I have an MFA (Masters of Fine Art) in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. With Lon DuQuette on my Master’s committee, I created the physical manifestation of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life as an installation exhibit, using Crowley’s 777 as my correspondence design guide. As an example, this is The Chalice of Binah.
It stands 7.5” tall and is made of sterling silver, ebony wood, and jasper. For those familiar with the correspondences, the chalice shape was chosen as the female symbol used in many religions for its ability to hold water, the woman being a vessel, or also the womb as a sacred vessel. The ebony stem corresponds to the Queens Scale, that black has the faculty to absorb all colors, and the black of the night alludes to sleep and understanding. The red jasper complements the Kings Scale color in that the crimson red represents menstrual blood (Egyptian Book of the Dead, chapter 156: “You have your blood, O Isis; you have your power, O Isis, you have your magic, O Isis — to be said over a knot amulet of red jasper…”)
But the whole time I was working on that project, I really wanted to go to cooking school, which I enrolled in a week or after obtaining my degree. That is where I dug into researching food history and experimenting with vintage recipes. Several years later is when the two passions — that of culinary history and art — truly collided; I started making food-themed artwork and jewelry. I wrote a book on food as an art form, A Feast for the Eyes: Edible Art from Apples to Zucchini. And I started collecting and researching the history of cutlery and odd Victorian-era food implements. I will be sharing several of them in future posts as I have stumbled on some oddities that would have been the type of now-defunct kitchen gadget Crowley would have owned and used.
Where all this leads to — and I am terribly sorry for the late notice — is that on Sunday, November 19th at 3:00 p.m. PST (tomorrow!), I am giving a free*, live Zoom presentation on <clickety> How Innovations in British Silversmithing Shaped our Modern Dining Tables. This research stems from a paper I gave at the Oxford Food Symposium in 2020 and the title belies how fascinating the subject matter truly is (at least I try to make it so!)
The Zoom link is via EventBrite, just so I know how many folks will be attending. Join me for an exciting online event as I delve into the fascinating world of British silversmithing and its impact on our dining tables. Discover the rich history and ingenious innovations that have shaped the way we dine today. From intricate designs to functional utensils, this event will explore the artistry and craftsmanship behind British silverware. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn about the legacy of silversmithing and its influence on our dining experiences. This is just part of my collection, to give you an idea how bizarre and beguiling vintage utensils can be!
* I will have a link to a tip-jar, for those who care to favor me with a cup of tea or mug of joe.