NAVIGATION

The fact that the most varied, the most sought after, and most fragile materials were used in the production of cutlery until well into the 19th century confirms the view that people continued to use their fingers for eating until relatively recently. Manufactured cutlery sets signalled the decline in personal cutlery although it continued to be given as a prestigious gift, or brought by the well-to-do for use as a travelling item. Because gold was intrinsically so valuable, it was only used for particularly costly cutlery and gold items are therefore rare.