What-is-it question CLXXXII.

[dognose]

An extremely rare item, and the fact that it is still accompanied by its original box makes it all the more rarer. It was made by Abraham Barrier (Grimwade p.432), and assayed at London in c.1785.



Length: 5 â…›" (14.4cm). Weight: 12 dwt (19 grams).

Do you know the purpose for which this item was made for?

Trev.

[wev]

Oysters

[JLDoggett]

AN early banana knife?

[silverly]

I could easily see it being used for eating fruit too, maybe strawberries?

[silverly]

Could this be the same utensil, the Friend Religious and Literary Journal, 1834, Philadelphia has an article entitled European Sketches that describes a small silver knife butter knife resembling a dinner fork except that it was turned off with a blade?

[AG2012]

Well done,wev!

Oyster Fork: It's a double ended oyster fork and knife combo; use the blade to
separate the oyster and eat it with the fork.

[dognose]

Indeed it is. There's no flies on Wev!



The only thing that concerns me about this attribution is whether a silver blade could tolerate the opening of oysters. Anyone who has prized this particular shellfish open, will be well aware of the leverage required. Unless, of course, the blade is just for cutting the flesh away from the already opened shell.

Trev.

[wev]

The oysters would have been half shucked -- the top shell prised open, but the meat left attached to the lower shell. The oyster might be left plain, sauced, or just dressed with a bit of lemon juice and served on a bed of ice and sea weed.

[AG2012]

Do not eat raw oysters;we do not want this forum extinct,do we?

``Paralytic poisoning is less common but has a higher fatality rate``
``In severe poisoning, paralysis rapidly progresses to respiratory failure``

[wev]

You have a much better chance of dying in a car accident on the way to work then getting ill from eating raw oysters -- presuming, of course, that you have a basic understanding of the goods and their season.