Cutlery: From Gothic to Art Deco, the J. Hollander Collection

Cutlery has undergone a considerable evolution. Today's gastronomic culture could hardly be more different from that of our ancestors, though it has been said that the practice of eating hamburgers with our hands reminds us very literally of the customs and traditions of the Middle Ages and earlier! Over the centuries, as dishes became more varied, new implements were added to the range of tableware. Of course, knives have always been around and used to cut and spear meat. Spoons were added and used originally for serving, and in the West the use of the fork was originally considered to be ill-mannered! In this unique book, which is a catalogue of the J. Hollander Collection, considered to be the most important in the field, the history of tableware and cutlery is illustrated by over 600 colour plates and hundreds of silver marks.