We’ve written before about the wonderful Paris kitchen supplies store, E. Dehillerin. Now we’ve met its match in Manhattan at J.B. Prince Company (36 East 31st Street, 6th floor, New York, NY; 212-683-3553; jbprince.com). Created in 1977 by German-born Judith B. Prince, the store isn’t quite as old as Dehillerin (founded 1820). And it’s moved around a bit. But the sixth floor showroom of its current incarnation is a vast toyland of kitchen tools and a treasure for the neighborhood..

Long-time staff member and CEO Tim Mussig purchased the company from Judith Prince when she retired recently. A former professional restaurant cook, he tends to hire staff with a similar background. Not only does the company carry all sorts of marvelously obscure kitchen tools, its staff can tell you how to use each one.

Down to brass tacks — or carbon steel blades

‶It all starts with the knives,″ one clerk said when he saw us ogling the cutting edges. The company was among the first to import Misono knives from the famous Japanese sword-making company. But J.B. Prince has a blade for every task and mostly for every budget. We picked up a bunch of $5 paring knives with Teflon coated blades as hostess gifts. They’re perfect for a cheese board, as the slick surface cleanly releases slices from a tomme.

We had no idea that so many versions of plating tweezers existed, including some with offset arms for slipping a small garnish (a single sturgeon egg, perhaps) into a nest of flash-fried carrot strips. Ditto spoons, ‶Chefs love their spoons,″ Mussig said. They come in special shapes to aid in everything from basting to forming quenelles.

Bakers will swoon over the specialty pans and molds. Mussig saw us eyeing the silicone baking mats (Silpat) and called our attention to a recent twist — perforated mats. They let air flow underneath breads, cookies, or pastries for more even browning. Parchment paper may soon be a thing of the past. Even so, J.B. Prince will probably still carry it.