Fork 1833

This fork, crafted by John Bettridge, is displayed alongside a knife in a red case lined with black fabric. Although simple in function, the ornamentation of these utensils speaks to the ways in which objects reinforce social hierarchies. The shell motif on the handles, for example, harkens back to classical designs, an aesthetic that was in vogue during the Georgian era in Britain. These were commodities designed to reinforce the owner’s claim to social status and “good taste.” It is not accidental that these utensils are presented as a set, neatly nestled in a case. The institution of the museum has the power to isolate objects from their natural settings, elevating them to the status of art. The cutlery, divorced from any table setting, becomes a relic. How do we access this history? Through extensive documentation from the period, we can begin to piece together a picture of the world that these objects inhabited.