Katia Rabey

Jeweller / MunichSchmuckFair2025

Published: 02.09.2021

Necklace: Fine Line Between Pork and Swine by Katia Rabey.Stainless steel, powder coating, hand-crafted silver chain, aluminium, thread.. 2021.Photo by: Arseniy KuntsevichI accidentally came up with the phrase “Fine Line Between Pork and Swine” one morning few months ago, and it got stuck in my brain, so I had to make a necklace with it.
. I thought it was a playful take on a fine line separating life from death, but then my very smart friend dropped by one day and after taking one look at the necklace said “Oh, it’s a reference to Ivanhoe, right?”
. It turns out, the entire novel by Walter Scott was originally inspired by a discussion Scott had with his friend about how words that mean livestock have Anglo-Saxon origin (swine, cow, sheep). but when livestock is being turned into food and served it is called by Norman words (pork, beef, mutton) and this is supposed to be an illustration of how the Saxons were enslaved by the Normans.
.
. Funny how you first make a piece and then it turns out to be much more interesting than you originally suggested!.

Katia Rabey
Necklace: Fine Line Between Pork and Swine, 2021
Stainless steel, powder coating, hand-crafted silver chain, aluminium, thread.
Photo by: Arseniy Kuntsevich

I accidentally came up with the phrase “Fine Line Between Pork and Swine” one morning few months ago, and it got stuck in my brain, so I had to make a necklace with it.
I thought it was a playful take on a fine line separating life from death, but then my very smart friend dropped by one day and after taking one look at the necklace said “Oh, it’s a reference to Ivanhoe, right?”
It turns out, the entire novel by Walter Scott was originally inspired by a discussion Scott had with his friend about how words that mean livestock have Anglo-Saxon origin (swine, cow, sheep). but when livestock is being turned into food and served it is called by Norman words (pork, beef, mutton) and this is supposed to be an illustration of how the Saxons were enslaved by the Normans.

Funny how you first make a piece and then it turns out to be much more interesting than you originally suggested!