TWO-PIECE BASILISK CUTLERY SET WITH KNIFE AND FORK AND ASSORTED SCABBARD Switzerland, Zurich, 2nd half of the 17th century, probably by Hans Peter Oeri (1637-1692). Conical, twisted handle in silver, partly gilt and with a spiral niello band depicting the dragon's tail. Grip ends in the shape of basilisk heads. Pointed blade on the cutting side, the bolster retracted. Fork with two prongs, the fork neck retracted like a baluster at the end. The scabbard probably Ottoman, 18th century. Wooden core covered with sheet silver, decoration in relief in the form of tendrils, birds and animals, the intermediate surfaces punched and gilded. Leaf frieze at the top, the tip in the shape of a bud. L knife 22.5 cm, fork 19 cm. L with sheath 27.5 cm in total. Gilding heavily rubbed in places, knife handle on the niello with larger dents and defects. Blade with traces of corrosion. Provenance: Achille Jubinal Collection, Paris, circa 1874. This example illustrated in: South Kensington Museum. Illustrated Catalogue of a Collection of Ancient Cutlery lent by M. Achille Jubinal to the South Kensington Museum. London, 1874, plate IX, no. 177. Two similar handles, but cast in brass and less finely executed, are in the Basel Historical Museum (inv. no. 1875.11). Cf. Iris Kolly. Artistic cutlery - A selection from the collection of the Basel Historical Museum. 2006. p. 17. The catalogue refers to similar but more finely designed pieces of cutlery in the Swiss National Museum, which are attributed to the Zurich goldsmith Hans Peter Oeri (1637-1692) (see Gertrud Benker. Old cutlery, a contribution to the history of table culture. Munich, 1978, p. 91, fig. 142). The handles could represent the hybrid creature basilisk, which mixes the upper body of a cockerel with the tail of a snake. A very similar set of cutlery, also described as basilisk cutlery, from Rosenheim, late 17th century, from the Sigmaringen Princely Collections is in the Museum für Kunsthandwerk Frankfurt am Main. Cf. knife fork spoon. Frankfurt am Main, 1995, p. 107, no. 49. A further pair of forks and knives and a single knife, located and dated to 17th century Zurich, are part of the collection of the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (see Bernhard Heitmann & Carlos Boerner, Historische Bestecke aus der Sammlung des Museums für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg 2007, pp. 32/33. figs. 20 & 22). For further comparisons see: - Jochen Amme. Historical cutlery. Stuttgart, 2002. p. 97, fig. 223. - Jochen Amme. Historical cutlery, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum Aachen Collection. Aachen, 2011. p. 129, ill. 109. - Arthur Pabst. The Richard Zschille art collections in Grossenhain, cutlery collection of dining, table, gardening utensils and tools. Berlin. 1893, plate 12, fig. 97. - Petermandl Collection, Technical Museum Vienna (inv. no. 64520). - Special exhibition catalogue of the Swiss National Museum Zurich. Baroque luxury The work of the Zurich goldsmith Hans Peter Oeri 1637-1692. Zurich, 1988. pp. 102-105.