Historical Cutlery Design?

[31 Black]

My parents and I were looking through some things from a late grandparent, and we were curious about the possible origin/history of these carving fork & knife designs:







Anyone know anything about these?

 

[User names must be unique]

Hard to tell without scale, could be a strawberry fork they're kinda like fondue forks for dipping strawberries into cream and sugar. bottom one looks like a cheese knife but they more often have a twin prong arrangement at the tip for picking up the cut slice of cheese.

Honestly I have no idea, my grannies house was full of a hundred different weird looking utensils. Just when I found two that were similar I get told off for confusing the cream soup spoon with the gravy spoon.

 

[31 Black]

Hard to tell without scale

Fair. The longer knife is along as a standard chopping knife, and the fork is longer than a dinner fork.

The patterns are unique, but I can't tell if it's common for a time or from a specific culture.

I get told off for confusing the cream soup spoon with the gravy spoon.

Oof.

 

[Local Wordmason]

I dabble in thrifting as a side income, this is just my two cents. Definitely seems like some kind of meat serving set. My first impression is it could have been a souvineer from another country, that's usually how these things work out. Something a local made on the cheap to hock to tourists as a "traditional" curiosity. Do you know if she's travelled abroad at all? Just because its not an antique doesn't mean it isn't an interesting piece that would be a neat display.

 

[TheLostMarxBrotherFucko]

My parents and I were looking through some things from a late grandparent, and we were curious about the possible origin/history of these carving fork & knife designs:

Were they from the American Midwest?

 

[31 Black]

Do you know if she's travelled abroad at all?

My grandparent traveled domestically extensively, though his father was in France during WWI.

Just because its not an antique doesn't mean it isn't an interesting piece that would be a neat display.

Without a doubt. I may polish, frame, and hang them in the kitchen.

Were they from the American Midwest?

American east coast, but as mentioned he did travel a lot.

 

[TheLostMarxBrotherFucko]

American east coast, but as mentioned he did travel a lot.

I cannot give you specifics, but I can give you a direction. Look into northern European during the late 1800s

 

[31 Black]

I cannot give you specifics, but I can give you a direction. Look into northern European during the late 1800s

Thanks for this! Initial searches aren't giving me any exact matches, but I have been seeing some English, French, and German cutlery that may be similar. I also keep seeing bone in articles, so I'm going to rexamine the handles, see if I can figure out what it's made of. Never mind, the handles are made of the same metals as the tools.

https://www.bobshop.co.za/john-wait-england-late-1800s-cutlery-set-with-bone-handles/p/635732970

https://www.applebyantiques.net/en-GB/bread-butter/beautifully-carved-victorian-bread-knife/prod_14238

https://www.catawiki.com/en/c/1485-silver-gold-decor

This listing doesn't say where they're from, but there is contact info; maybe they'd know? Plus, some of the blade designs seem similar.

 

[Carnavoyeur]

I know, Reddit. But /r/whatisthisthing might help. There's completely obscure stuff that somehow gets identified by multiple autists often on there.

 

[SITHRAK!]

Anyone know anything about these?

The three-tined fork suggests early to mid 19th century. The engravings and lack of maker’s marks tell me these are handmade and not mass-produced. I’m getting a strong impression of Appalachian origin, although I’d be very prepared to be wrong.

I’d suggest you submit the photos to the Museum of American Cutlery and see if they know anything about it.

 

[TheLostMarxBrotherFucko]

Thanks for this! Initial searches aren't giving me any exact matches, but I have been seeing some English, French, and German cutlery that may be similar. I also keep seeing bone in articles, so I'm going to rexamine the handles, see if I can figure out what it's made of. Never mind, the handles are made of the same metals as the tools.

Ver archivo adjunto 9170477
Ver archivo adjunto 9170475

https://www.bobshop.co.za/john-wait-england-late-1800s-cutlery-set-with-bone-handles/p/635732970

Ver archivo adjunto 9170476

https://www.applebyantiques.net/en-GB/bread-butter/beautifully-carved-victorian-bread-knife/prod_14238

Ver archivo adjunto 9170478

https://www.catawiki.com/en/c/1485-silver-gold-decor

Ver archivo adjunto 9170484
This listing doesn't say where they're from, but there is contact info; maybe they'd know? Plus, some of the blade designs seem similar.

Glad I could help as little as possible.

 

[SwiftBucks]

That set of cutlery was gifted to the king's favored sodomites in the mid 1600s