Mes met zilveren heft c. 1400 - 1950

This is a knife with a silver handle, made by F.W. Filmes. The knife would have been an important symbol for the Dutch. In the Golden Age, Dutch traders, explorers and settlers brought aspects of Dutch culture around the world. Although we can't know what this particular knife would have been used for, we can see the level of care taken to produce it. The ornate handle, the elegant curves of the blade, all speak of the owner's wealth and status. Looking closely, we can see the maker’s mark stamped onto the blade. Who was F.W. Filmes, and what can his output tell us about the society in which he worked? Archival research, museum records, and close analysis of the object itself, can reveal much about the social and cultural context. The meaning of this knife, as with any work of art, is contingent on that context.