Personal Blogs

Having got through the first assignment, or at least got it in I suddenly find myself thinking about object biography and the importance of objects in my life, We were asked on our tutor group forum what object did we consider most important and I really couldn't think of any object that i had that was important to me. I think that could have been circumstantial. However I realised that I do have many things that i share my life with that have significant value and also have a history. In my cutlery drawer I have three knives. They are made from Sheffield steel and were the kind that not so long ago were popular dining cutlery. With imitation bone handles most homes pre 1950-1960 would have used at the dining table. I have no idea who they belonged to before I rescued them from the local charity shop, but it is likely they started their useful life as someones wedding gift as cutlery was a popular gift item for the newly weds. I imagined they would have graced the dining table for family meals, Sunday roasts being traditional especially among the church goers, another popular family tradition during the 1950's and 60's, though any religious connection may have became less and less popular among the working classes towards the end of the 1970's onward. My knives that I cherish are important to me as I really don't like pointed knives for paring or peeling or chopping, and these ex table knives made from original Sheffield steel sharpen beautifully along the cutting edge and are perfect for my vegetable preparation. I love the wholesome feel of them, maybe connecting with their history. Also I am left handed and never learned to use a peeler. My knives will sharpen beautifully on the back of another of the same steel, and this speaks volumes of the quality of which they were made. I have numerous other food preparation knives that are supposed to be superior quality yet none are quite as versatile or resilient. I think my connection with these implements is greater because they are tools that I cannot live without, or should I say i prefer not to live without.