A Chantilly Knife, circa 1735-45
The pistol haft is painted in the Japanese Kakiemon palette with exotic trailing flowers issuing from a rock. Fitted with a silver-gilt ferrule and cap, and a steel blade of French type, stamped LANGRE below a bunch of grapes.
Provenance: An English Private Collection.
Condition: No damage or restoration. The haft is most attractively painted, and the enamels are in superb order. There is a little movement in the blade, however it does remain firmly attached.
Dimensions: Length 26 cm (including blade)
French Porcelain: A Catalogue of the British Museum Collection, Aileen Dawson (British Museum Press, 2000).
French Porcelain of the Eighteenth Century, Christopher Maxwell (V&A Publishing, 2009).
Cutlery: From Gothic to Art Deco – The J. Hollander Collection, Jan van Trigt (Petraco-Pandora NV, 1999).