London 1851 Solid Silver Pierced Fish Slice by Well Known Maker Charles Boyton.

London 1851 English hallmarked antique silver fish slice with beautifully shaped and unusual pierced blade by Charles Boyton, well known maker.

The slice is made in the fiddle pattern with very crisp shoulders, has a lovely shaped blade with double thread interior and exterior borders, and a lovely scrolled pierced pattern to centre.

Size 12.25 inches long by 2.5 inches wide.

Weight-140 grams.

Fish servers and slices were often decorated with piercing. This looked attractive and allowed excess cooking juices to drain from the fish before it was placed onto a dinner plate.

Fish etiquette has always been very important. Fish slices began to be used at the dinner table during the early 1700s. They remained popular throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. The blades of fish slices are often made from silver or silver plate as it was thought a steel blade would ruin the delicate taste of the fish.

The 1860 advice manual 'The Habits of Good Society' gives clear advice on how to carve and serve different types of fish. It demonstrates the importance of etiquette at the dinner table during this period:

"Fish is cut with a large flat silver knife or fish slice, never with a common one. Of small fish, you send one to each person. All the larger flat fish, such as turbot, John Dorey, brills, &c., must be first cut from head to tail down the middle, and then in portions from this cut to the fin, which being considered the best part, is helped with the rest. Fried soles, on the other hand, are simply cut across, dividing the bone. The shoulder is the best part, and should be first helped. Salmon, being laid on the side, is cut down the middle of the upper side, and then across from the back to the belly. A boiled mackerel serves for four people. The fish-knife is passed from tail to head under the upper side, which is then divided into two. Cod is always crossways".

Today these slices in addition to still being used for fish, are also often used for cake and pie.

A very nice solid silver pierced slice, by a well known maker, in very good condition, with just the usual surface scratching.

Please see a very similar one also listed on www.serpentineantiques.co.uk, if two are desired, which would make a nice matched pair.

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