Date this weid fork please

hi there wondered if any body could date and more importantly would love to know what it was /is used for .to big to be a strawberry fork.? Help!

 

Bread fork.

 

Excuse my ignorance .but how would it have been used.surely not for toasting?

 

No, for picking up slices or pieces of bread, without fingers in the bread basket. The hookey bits stop the impaled chunk from falling off. Late 19th C probably.

The hooks may have been an 'aftermarket' addition, a bit of home improvement on the usual design which has three straight tines.

 

is that an ivory handle ?........yummy.

 

Late 19th C. is my opinion as well.

 

I suspect the metal is possibly silver plate. Are there any markings on the silver? Here is a slightly similar one with twisted tines and bone handle that the seller says is silver plate and Georgian. The markings aren't shown soooo don't know if the seller is correct on the time frame. The seller is wrong on it being a toasting fork. A fork for toasting would not be of silver. If the metal is silver with markings we may be able to tell a more specific date.

http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-982400/antique-georgian-silver-bone-and-plate-toasting-fork.html

--- Susan

 

The handle is of M.O.P with no siver marks but has DANIEL&ARTER on the centre prong. I think your probably right about being silver plated and maybe the handle could be a m.o.p.substitute.?

 

I agree with your analysis of the other fork you have .All toasting forks I've seen are much longer so the hand your holding it with is away from the heat.

 

Daniel & Arter were silversmiths in Birmingham in the late 1800s to early 1900s, as Baker said "late 19th C." They worked in silver, brass, nickel-silver, electro-plate, etc. Many times silverplate isn't marked so. Following is a webpage with their history and several of the marks they used on silver, silverplate, etc.
http://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLADANIEL&ARTER.html

Here is a MOP handle bread fork by Daniel and Arter:
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-silver-plated-75-bread-fork-238164250

--- Susan

 

Thanks so much for all your help.so I guess if it's late 19c it must be real m.o.p. Do you think that the outer prongs were supposed to bend inwards at angles cause I think if it were an after thought they would have probably broken in the process or at least the silver would have cracked?

 

My thing ime into really is old penknives -sheath knives - and milatary knives. I just spotted this fork around a flea market liked it and brought it.are they very collectable? Adrian.

 

Cutlery silver is rather soft - I once cut the tines off of a fork with a steak knife. Not intentionally, and yes, alcohol was involved. And no, I was never invited back back by the hostess involved..........................

 

but i think this one's unique enough to put aside...

 

Thank you you good people.i think a new collector of forks has arrived.

 

That's great !
Be on the lookout for those Weid Forks !!