Dutch fish slices are amongst the most ornate serving tools made in silver, and they occur in a wide variety of ornaments. The blade of the slice is always open-worked from a practical point of view, so that the fluid from the served fish does not end up on ones plate. There are slices with one fish, two fishes and, like the example here by Dirk van Gameren, three fishes.

Rare are the slices of which the openwork decoration is designed entirely according to the latest fashion, as seen in the one by Valentijn Casper Bömcke. Here the decoration is composed entirely of rocaille ornaments, beautifully engraved. Hendrik Swierincks' slice is also decorated completely in the Louis XV style with floral and leaf patterns. At the top of all three handles there is a cast ornament, in rocaille form or symmetrical with a lambrequin and a tassel.

Fish slice with three fishes: made by Dirk van Gameren in Utrecht, 1750
Fish slice with Rocaille ornaments: made by Valentijn Caspar Bömcke in Amsterdam, 1762
Fish slice with flower decoration: made by Hendrik Swierinck in Amsterdam, 1770