Grape scissors made of silver were first produced in the very late eighteenth century c1790. They were not only a genteel way of cutting bunches of grapes but the action of cutting, rather than pulling the grapes off manually, preserved the longevity of the fruit – rather like pruning a tree.
The earliest grape scissors were generally of very plain form, with an almost surgical feel. In the late George III period around c1815 there was an extraordinary explosion in varieties of designs produced. Many were extremely elaborate with chased vine patterns unsurprisingly becoming popular. Several were made in the standard flatware patterns of the day, but a large amount was made on a very individual basis with a vast variety of decorative motifs used.
Grape scissors probably reached their height of popularity in the mid to late nineteenth century. Sizes vary somewhat but an average length would be somewhere around the 7 inch (17.75 cm).
William Walter Antiques have a fine selection of antique silver grape scissors, sometimes referred to as grape shears, from the earliest periods right up to the twentieth century.
