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Mary C. Knight

 

One of Boston's leading Arts & Crafts centers was The Handicraft Shop, which employed such notable metalsmiths as  Frans Gyllenberg, Seth Ek, George Gebelein , C. G. Forssen, Karl Leinonen, Rebecca Cauman,  Mary Winlock, Sybil Foster, Alfred Swanson, and Mary Catherine Knight, who was initially hired by the Shop's founder to supervise the operation.

 

The Shop opened in 1901 to produce objects made of wood, leather, and metal.  By 1906, when the set below was made, the Shop was working exclusively in metal.  Interestingly, the delicate tooling on this  set was done by Mary Knight using leathercraft punches.

 

Metalsmiths at the Shop seemed to work interchangeably at times.  Knight designed many pieces that were executed by others.  Some items (like the spoon below) bear just the Handicraft Shop anvil mark, but the bowl and underplate carry the Knight stamp -- a knight in armor mounted on a horse, with the letter K.

 

Knight mark with date:

Knight mark, no date:

Handicraft Shop mark:

 

Unfortunately, on many Handicraft Shop pieces that are now nearly a century old, much of the enamel has chipped away.  The enamel on this set is almost completely intact.

 

Mary Catherine Knight set, sauce or mayonnaise, three pieces consisting of bowl, underplate, and spoon.

Mary Catherine Knight set, sauce or mayonnaise, three pieces consisting of bowl, underplate, and spoon.  All have blue multi-color enamel pattern of grapes and chased vines.  Enamel is over repousse work on bottom of bowl.  Bowl and underplate are monogrammed with an F.  Spoon is monogrammed Frp on bottom of bowl.  Bowl and underplate have small ringed feet.  Bowl:  4-1/2" W and 1-13/16" H.  Underplate:  6" W and 5/8" H.  Spoon: 5-1/2" L and 1-1/2" W . 

 

Mary Catherine Knight plate, round, enameled, with chased decoration of flowers and vines around the raised rim and in a central petal-like decoration, with green and pale yellow enamel and engraved EGW monogram in script.

Mary Catherine Knight plate, round, enameled, with chased decoration of flowers and vines around the raised rim and in a central petal-like decoration, with green and pale yellow enamel and engraved EGW monogram in script.  Applied wire to rim.  7-9/16" W.  Marked:  STERLING / Knight mark] / 1906

 

Detail from Mary C. Knight EGW plate showing chasing and enamel

Detail from above EGW plate showing chasing and enamel

 

Detail from Mary C. Knight EGW plate showing chasing, enamel, and engraving

Detail from above EGW plate showing chasing, enamel, and engraving

 

Mary Catherine Knight plate, round, enameled, on small ring foot, with chased decoration or grapes and leaves and stylized vines around the upturned edge.  Engraved FOH monogram in script at concave center.

Mary Catherine Knight plate, round, enameled, on small ring foot, with chased decoration or grapes and leaves and stylized vines around the upturned edge.  Engraved FOH monogram in script at concave center.  5-7/16" W and 5/8" H.  Marked:  STERLING / Knight mark]

 

Detail from Mary C. Knight FOH plate showing chasing and enamel

Detail from above FOH plate showing chasing and enamel

 

Mary Catherine Knight plate, low, round, enameled, flat bottom, with chased floral and abstract semi-circular decoration of blue and cream-colored enamel around wide flat raised edge.  Heavy and in very good shape.  Enamel is in excellent condition.

Mary Catherine Knight plate, low, round, enameled, flat bottom, with chased floral and abstract semi-circular decoration of blue and cream-colored enamel around wide flat raised edge.  Heavy and in very good shape.  Enamel is in excellent condition.  7-1/4" W.  Marked:  STERLING [Handicraft Shop HS anvil mark] 1905

 

Closeup of Mary Catherine Knight plate, low, round, enameled, flat bottom, with chased floral and abstract semi-circular decoration of blue and cream-colored enamel around wide flat raised edge.  Heavy and in very good shape.  Enamel is in excellent condition.

Detail from above plate showing chasing and enamel

 

Mary Catherine Knight bowl, low, round, enameled, on flat foot, with chased decoration of intertwined vines and teal enameled flowers with cream-colored centers around the edge, and a smaller ring of these around the bottom.  Applied thick wire to rim.  Heavy and in excellent shape.  Enamel is in excellent condition.

Mary Catherine Knight bowl, low, round, enameled, on flat foot, with chased decoration of intertwined vines and teal enameled flowers with cream-colored centers around the edge, and a smaller ring of these around the bottom.  Applied thick wire to rim.  Heavy and in excellent shape.  Enamel is in excellent condition.  7-5/8" round and 3/4" H.  Marked:  STERLING / [Knight mark]

 

Closeup of Mary Catherine Knight bowl, low, round, enameled, on flat foot, with chased decoration of intertwined vines and teal enameled flowers with cream-colored centers around the edge, and a smaller ring of these around the bottom.  Applied thick wire to rim.  Heavy and in excellent shape.  Enamel is in excellent condition.

Detail from above bowl showing chasing and enamel

 

Mary Catherine Knight spoon with round bowl, rounded end, enamel pattern of grapes and chased vines

Mary Catherine Knight spoon with round bowl, rounded end, enamel pattern of grapes and chased vines.  6-3/16" L and 1-9/16" W.  Marked:  STERLING [Handicraft Shop HS anvil mark] 1907

 

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