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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 American Silver before sterling
 Cake-saws
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| Author | Topic: Cake-saws |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-16-2008 12:22 AM
  
The September/October 2007 issue of Silver Magazine had an interesting article by Dale Bennett on “American Cake Knives – 1845 to 1885”. The cake knives shown in this article were either coin or sterling. All of the coin versions shown in this article have a serrated upper edge. It is this “saw-like” feature that gave rise to the term cake-saw and this is the phrase commonly used to describe them today. Below are some more examples of cake-saws that may be of interest to the group. The first set from the top down are from Albert Coles in the Jenny Lind pattern, a Freeman Durgin cake-saw, a John L. Westervelt (retailed by John Vignes) cake-saw, and a Hotchkiss and Schreuder cake-saw. I do not know if the Durgin, Westervelt or Hotchkiss and Schreuder versions had pattern names. The Durgin and Hotchkiss and Schreuder saws have their blades at a right angle to their handle and are shown below with their handles in full view. The next set from the top down are from Gorham (silverplate), an unmarked cake-saw but I believe it to be a coin Wood and Hughes beaded pattern, a R.B. White Metal Co. cake-saw, and an unmarked silver plated cake-saw. The article in the Silver Magazine in figure 5 also shows one cake knife that was left handled – the form that is fairly common on butter knives. This form appears to be very rare for cake knives and the author feels that there really is no functional reason why cake knives should exclude this version and only have in-line handles. My wife is left handed and does not like the left handle version of butter knives. Perhaps the manufacturers recognized this dislike and decided to make only in-line handles to accommodate left handed people. The R. B. White Metal cake-saw has an interesting engraving on the blade, while the design on the handle appears to have been stamped into the metal. The engraving on white metal never is as attractive as engraving on solid silver, but the white metal does have one advantage – it does not tarnish. [This message has been edited by ahwt (edited 11-23-2021).] IP: Logged |
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taloncrest Posts: 169 |
posted 09-16-2008 11:13 PM
The Hotchkiss and Schreuder one is in the "Unique" pattern. I show off my few pieces and give my source for the name in this thread (re: Andrew Schreuder pattern). Thanks for showing us these pretties! IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 09-17-2008 12:17 AM
The bottom silverplated one is in 1847 Persian, patented 1871. Persian is a pattern that varies a great deal between handles. It appears to be the first 1847 with matching knives. Persian had a long life as a commercial pattern, probably into the early 20th century. The cake saw without marks would indicate use in restaurants etc. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 09-18-2008 08:10 PM
Delightful cake saws! Do you know (perhaps this was covered in the article?) the purpose of the serration on top? Was it meant for cutting yeast-raised breadlike cakes, with the plain edge for softer, egg-raised or chemically raised cakes more familiar today? IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-18-2008 11:48 PM
Polly, the author of the article quotes an 1874 article in Scribner's Monthly that the saw is a "splendid blade to divide the frosting without fracture". This article was written well after the invention of the cake knife and may have simply missed the point. Your explanation may explain the intention of whoever designed the cake knife in the first place. I have used cake saws on several occasions and used the serrated side to break the icing, finishing the slicing with the other side. These cakes were all of your second version. IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 09-19-2008 12:27 AM
The serrated part is very useful for outling where cuts are to be. Works with all sorts of things that need to be diveyed up. Lasagna is also a good use: divide the pieces with the upper serration then cut through holding the cake saw at an angle so you cut with the curved tip. It also works with spaghetti: insert the knife into a bowl of cooked spaghetti, twirl a few times then lift out. Set the spaghetti on the plate, turn the knive and cut the pasta. IP: Logged |
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