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I have a set of very nice russian silver forks and knives from the 1908-17 period and Moscow.

They are tiny, the fork is only 13 cm long and the knife 14,5 cm long. I have been wondering for what purpose they where used: for eating cake, cheese, fruits, generally deserts or what?

If I put them beside a desert plate they look too tiny so I think they would not have been used for deserts. I guess the form of the fork and knife gives a clue but I don't know what.



Regards,
Juhana

Three pronged forks like this are usually called fruit forks. Yours are the smallest I've seen.

Miles

Thanks Miles for your reply.

Good to know about fruit forks which I didn't know about. I guess you normally have only fruit knives which I have seen only previously. The only thing I was wondering is that the fruit knives I have seen has had round ends of blades and these ones have a pointed one with which you can pick.

I tried these with coffee and tea sets and with those plates they match well so I can imagine you could have had fruit served with those sets.

I later though have there been cutlery for children which these would fit according to the size but I have only seen spoons for babies so this might be a too wild guess.

Regards,
Juhana

Yes, English fruit knives are usually rounded; this may be a peculiarly Russian style. I don't think the pointed ends are ment to pick; that sounds like a good way to flick food across the table.

You can have cutlery for children, but I've only seen them in sets of one given as christening presents, and the forks always have four prongs.



Miles

Yes I was also thinking those christening spoons.

Thanks for your the additional input.

Regards,
Juhana

Hello, there are even smaller ones in that style and they are for grown-ups. In Germany they were used to eat "Konfekt" (something like sweets). Best wishes, Bahner

Thanks Bahner for the input, would you happen to have a link or a picture to see how they look.

Regards,
Juhana