Featured Sterling Silver Gilt Child's Cutlery Set (B'ham, 1827).

Isn't this just the cutest thing ever!? It doesn't come with a case, but, whatever! It's adorable, anyway

Hallmarks stamped to the backs of the fork, spoon, and on the blade of the knife confirm all Birmingham, 1827.

 

Charming set for the little prince - or princess!

 

One wonders whether sets like these were ever actually intended to be used, or whether they're just presentation pieces?

 

Well, shoot... I had sterling silver BABY flatware AND "YOUTH" flatware - all in the same pattern. I can attest to the fact that they WERE used!

I have told this story before, but I'll repeat it here...

My childhood silver (1950's for BABY & early 1960's for YOUTH) was made in the same, particular pattern.

When I was a teen, in boarding school (late 1960's) I bought myself a then-popular "spoon bracelet" (all the rage at the time) just because I liked the pattern.

When I picked a silver pattern before my wedding (late 1970's) I inadvertently picked the exact same pattern as my BABY, YOUTH, and SPOON BRACELET silver.

Really & truly, I didn't know that they were all the same pattern! In fact, I didn't even find out until my Mom gave me my childhood silver when my daughter was born in the early 1980's!

Subliminal? Who knows?

 

We're expecting a new baby in the family soon, and I was wondering whether I should try and get my hands on a set for the baby when it's old enough. (Not my baby - it'll be my niece!).

Not this set, as it's probably a bit too fragile or whatever, but maybe if I can find something a bit more robust. Would stuff like that be safe around children, from the not-breaking-from-use standpoint? Just curious.

 

Shangas, I imagine that the worst that would happen is that a teething baby could BITE the silver & leave marks! (It happens more often than you'd think!)

 

Very traditional as christening gifts here, and absolutely meant to be used. I stil have the knife and fork from mine. Heaven knows where the spoon went.

 

Of course thy are meant to be used!! Teeth marks notwithstanding!

And, both baby and youth versions can be used into your old age. The baby spoon can be a sugar spoon (many sugar bowls today are too small for the standard sugar spoon, or shell) The little fork can often find a place on the cocktail tray, which also nicely accomodates pieces from a youth set. The spoon from same can serve jelly or jam; the knife -- a master butter; the fork takes care of those squishy things that the fewer-tined models slither about.

And incidentally, unless the pieces rattle, your silver set looks remarkably UNfragile!

 

Like SBSVS I had both a baby set and what my mother called a Junior set, which is what you are showing.

My baby set was a different pattern, but the Junior set matched my mother's sterling pattern and it was set at the table for me when she used her sterling.

I have both sets now, but you've made me realize I don't know where I've hidden them. Hmmmm, I might be on a hunt later today.

 

I still have my fathers cutlery which I used as a child and my eldest daughter used also. I wanted to pass it on but my girls don't have children.

 

I just came back to read this again and realize you do not have the Junior size teaspoon. You have what @Bakersgma a teaspoon or soup spoon?

The Junior teaspoon should be the same length as the fork with a proportional spoon bowl to the fork.

 

Well, I see your point on the bowl size in comparison to the fork in particular, Pat. But the handles are all the same length and I don't know what English makers in the 1820's considered an appropriate size. Could be for soup - or porridge.

@Shangas How long are these utensils?

 

Or, dessert! The size of thr English dessert spoon never fails to astound me (or, perhaps, horrify me).

 

From point to hilt, the knife is 7.25 inches.

 

That's certainly an appropriate size for a child's or "youth" flatware set. My only "wondering" is whether a child might have trouble getting that size spoon bowl in his/her mouth. Dessert makes a lot of sense, actually.

 

THAT is my objection to the grown-up version, Baker's!

That and the diners who stab their uvula with the left-handed dinner fork!

I AM a fervid Anglophile...but there are limits.

 

I used to eat the whole meal with my salad fork......drove mom crazy as she'd try to relieve me of it....

 

I'm reminded of that scene in TITANIC where Jack sits down at the first class table and there's a dozen pieces of cutlery laid out in front of him, and Molly Brown says: "Just start on the outside and work your way in".