VORLEGEMESSER, Sog. Présentoir South German, probably 16th century In the style of Melchior Dieffenstetter. Faceted brass handle with narrow, chequered inlaid reserves in bone and amber. With drop-shaped amber cabochons on both sides. The end of the grip in the shape of a double herm. Openwork geometric grip ferrule. Flat, broad blade with a cut on both sides, smith's mark. L 48 cm. Traces of corrosion on the blade. Inlays partially chipped and incomplete. A complete, finely crafted serving set owned by the Fugger family, presumably made by the cutler Melchior Dieffenstetter in Munich around 1540, is in the collection of the Solingen Blade Museum. A similar set from the former property of Dr Jerome Zwanger in New York is known from the American art market. That set shows the same double-headed bronze handle finials. Cf. for a related serving knife: Jochen Amme. Historisches Besteck III. Stuttgart, 2012. p. 156/157 and Georg Laue. Precious cutlery for the art chambers of Europe. Munich, 2010. p. 124/125, fig. 57.