What is the function of these two items?

[Joerg]

I have this set of three items in a box, in the middle a table knife, left and right the two unknown item.
What is the function of the two items? (I am aware the knife is a replacement, but from the shape of the middle cavity in the box I presume the original item was a similar knife.
Thank you
Jörg




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[Bahner]

Hello, the upper one with the rectangular blade is a butter spreader, the lower one with the pointed blade a cheese knife. Not sure about the actual purpose of the middle knife. Usually this kind of butter/cheese-knife comes as two pieces in one box or as four pieces in one box, the additional two pieces being two corresponding serving forks. Have never seen a combination like this, though I suspect a German origin. Regards Bahner

[bijoux.expert]

The hallmarks are of French silver plate and the box is very characteristic of French cutlery boxes. One of the hallmarks will have a number on it that shows how many grams of silver plating has been used to make the set.
I agree with the identification of cheese knife and butter knife, and I suggest the centre table knife would be used to cut bread and ham. (In well brought up families, the butter is brought to the bread with a knife that stays with the butter, and it is spread with one's personal knife, never the public one.)

[Aguest]

:::: I have the 2 smaller-bladed pieces and "Zwillingswerk J.A. HENCKELS Germany" is on the blade and I found an example that calls it a "Soft Cheese/Pate Spreader Knife" so I don't know how accurate that is, but a cheese/pate spreader was the best guess, I still can't tell if my examples are silver-plated or 800 silver because the hallmarks are completely worn off. ::::::

::::: My eyes see "800" silver marks on the above pictures, but they very well may be French silver-plate marks, it is hard for me to discern. :::::::

[Joerg]

Hi and thank you for your replies
All 3 items have a "800" on the handle. Easy to recognize on the knife, harder to decipher on the other two items.
To the function, Bahner proposed butter and cheese, confirmed by bijoux expert. Aguest calls it cheese / pate spreader, which goes in the same direction.
From the ergonomics point of view both items are not user friendly, somehow unbalanced. A normal cheese or butter knife is nicer to handle.

Anyway, I know now what they are.
Thank you, Jörg

[bijoux.expert]

The attribution of these implements is not really an exact science. If you refer to old silverware catalogues, there is a certain overlap in the uses.
For instance, the spatula, if it were presented with a fork, would be called a paté service or a foie gras service. The same spatula with a knife becomes a butter and cheese service, though they could be used to serve paté and cheese as well.
There is a bewildering array of implements in the old catalogues, there are special implements for olives, ice cream, berries, salad, sugar, fish, pastry, hors d'oeuvres, asparagus, tarts, punch, cream, coffee, soupe, roasts, cutlets, marrow, sweets, fruits, porridge, cheese, butter, paté etc.
i doubt any family had the whole lot !