www.925-1000.com

I grew up believing it to be a date fork - I suspect my parents bent the tips in to save me gouging my eyes out - but I could be wrong on both counts. The date at the end is 1632, the London hall mark a couple of years later

Images are here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3uw8095qx3ar0 ... .46.50.png
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hqahves237peh ... .46.36.png
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zdlik9qgucnvy ... .46.20.png

Any ideas as to what it really is? Or what the engraved image is?

Cheers, C

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Can you post a close up of the marks?

Trev.

A reproduction of the earliest known English fork, now in the V and A, see http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1047 ... rd-crosse/

When you are able to provide a better image of the hallmarks I think you will find they are about 3 centuries later than 1632 rather than just a couple of years. Still, an interesting item to have and you may well be right about why the prongs are bent!

Thank you both. Here is what I have https://www.dropbox.com/s/x15grj4n744mn2o/Hallmarks.png

I suspect you are right, looking at the photos taken for me it the marks looked remarkably modern for the date, and the makers marked seemed totally out of kilter with that period. At least I now know what it is a reproduction of!

Cheers, C

The maker was Blackmore & Fletcher Ltd. (Ernest Blackmore and Joseph Washington Fletcher) of Ramillies Place, Oxford Street, London. The fork was assayed at London in 1932. Presumably manufactured to celebrate the 300th anniversary of that first fork.

Trev.

Again, thank you both, so good to know.

Cheers, Colin