interesting salad spoon and fork. brass?

[hallboy]

Hi all. Here are to very unique pieces. They are of brass I think. The only markings I can find is the word Italia on the back of each piece. They are fairly soft. You can bend the necks easily as one was a bit crooked when I got them.

I would love to know something, anything about these. Age, even a guess would be great.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e94/h ... 0_4048.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e94/h ... 0_4049.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e94/h ... 0_4051.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e94/h ... 0_4052.jpg

Have fun and thanks for the help.

[byron mac donald]

Hello Hallboy-

Probably not going to find an answer here, this is a Silver forum. I like your pieces, just do not know how to help you. Perhaps you may find a site under brass, bronze, I dont know. I am not sure it would be brass or bronze however, I do not think these metals are soft enough to bend, I think they are a hard material that would break easily, since they are cast.

Sorry, best of luck- Byron

[hallboy]

Thanks. That was the same concern I was having. I don't really know where to go with these. I know they are dated back a good bit but really have no idea.
thanks again.

[LearnAll]

Don't know if this would be helpful, but here are a couple of places that actually are discussing italian items similar to your images. It might point you in the right direction if nothing else.

the first two are for an online museum:
http://www.geocities.com/rodeodrive/623 ... html#pages
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/1975/italpewter.html

Then if you look in the books by Wayne Bednersh or Rainwater/Felger you will also see many similar spoons and forks.
The thing I find intriguing is that yours are marked "ITALIA" and most of the others are marked "ITALY" or are unmarked. Don't know the significance of that either.

I hope this is helpful.