What is this antique Hotel Del Coronado food utensil?

Hello,

A few years ago I bought this at the Hotel Del Coronado gift shop, as from time to time they clear out old silverware etc. from the hotel. There were only a couple of these left, and this was in the best condition of them all.

The handle is siver or silverplate, and was pitted and slightly dented. It has the hotel's famous crown logo with "H Del C" imprinted on it, on only one side. The saleslady guessed it was Victorian era (the Hotel was built in 1888).

I cannot figure out what the black blade is made of, or what this utensil is. I thought it was some sort of bone, but it almost looks plastic (which it can't be), or other synthetic material. My next guess was celluloid, but the utensil looks too old for that. It is very smooth.

Also what is it for? My best guess is that it is for butter, but the shape is a bit different than what is normally seen. Most butter spreaders have a point. A caviar spreader? Presumably the purpose of the utensil drove the decision to use the particular blade material.

It is less than 7" long.

I think Reed & Barton made utensils for the Del, but there are no discernible maker's marks.

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you!

 

A butter knife, I believe. Back in the day, individual butter knives had this shaped blade.

 

Take a look at the Corsican pattern on this page of Reed & Barton designs.

http://sterlingflatwarefashions.com/SPPatterns/ReedBarton.html

 

Caviar spreader?
I would expect the butter to have a stainless blade.

 

The blade is buffalo horn............ link to modern version http://www.davidmellordesign.com/butter-knife-black-buffalo-horn-white-bone

 

I'd vote for caviar knife too, that stubbed, very rounded shape. A butter knife is usually a bit longer and more slender.

 

Hi,
If it is horn I vote caviar spreader. No one uses metal with caviar.
greg

 

Ah. Yes, caviar does make much more sense. I just haven't seen one before and went solely on shape.

 

You're just too modest to think of something as decadent as caviar. Those of us who voted for caviar like to pretend it is our daily bread and 'butter'.

 

These didn't come with the typical household cutlery set.

 

We're just kidding about the caviar, it is in fact a miniature Maori war club:

 

Hi Any Jewelry,
Sooooo funny. Thank you for your sense of humor especially today.
greg

 

Hi Greg,
Today my sense of humour will last until our national war remembrance ceremony tonight, here in The Netherlands.
Although I can't visit the grave of my favourite New Zealand soldier today, I will be thinking of him and so many others. He died only 18, too far away from home, so others can enjoy freedom. He is the only 'Kiwi' boy in our local graveyard, that is why I felt a bit responsible for giving him attention. But the place is well looked after, and there is a ceremony there tonight as well, with schoolchildren attending.
I wish more people would realise what they've got is so precious.

 

Is this a WWI graveyard?

 

WWII, The Netherlands was neutral during WWI. Got the full blast of WWII, although being a 'fellow Germanic race'(?!) meant that there wasn't the full-scale rape etc. that a country like Poland suffered. The Nazis weren't very happy with the Dutch resistance though. This date was chosen as remembrance day because it was the last day before the German capitulation, and many members of the resistance were executed as a last minute revenge.
The graveyard is a beautiful general graveyard, with a part for Commonwealth soldiers. There is a 'Screaming Eagle' monument for the Americans a few miles further on and a large American graveyard about 15 miles away.

 

Never forget.......

 

I don't think the Nazis were too happy with anyone who wasn't a Nazi. People here are starting to forget some of it, because we don't have the battlefields and other physical reminders of the War underfoot. Or the unexploded ordinance in our fields, for that matter. American Civil War bits do show up even today, including live ammo, but it's rarer.

 

The Dutch send us a bazillion tulips every year.....it's nice to be remembered...

 

Yes, you and the Pope ! (Flowers for Easter)
Groningen, the town where my parents and grandparents lived during WWII, was liberated by the Canadian Cape Breton Highlanders. After heavy fighting (Groningen was called little Stalingrad), the pipers came in to signal freedom. My parents loved the sound of bagpipes ever since. And they loved Canadians of course.
At 8 pm on may 4th most Dutch observe two minutes silence. Here is a photo of a young pizza delivery guy in Groningen observing the silence. It went viral overhere, and this time no one minded a cold pizza: