London 1837 William IV Sterling & Ox Blood Coral Handle Fork

[legrandmogol]

London 1837 William IV Sterling & Ox Blood Coral Handle Fork

I don't remember who the maker is at the moment but when I get home I will try to update that. It is dated for 1837/38 with the William the IV duty mark so it is just barely Georgian. I am not sure what the fork is for either, it is about 6" long but with such a fragile handle it has to be something soft.

[silvermakersmarks]

Probably William Forrester, entered 21.7.1828 as a gold worker.

Phil

[Aguest]

Coral was used to help babies teething process, but also the mere presence of coral could help alleviate pain by use of a kind of "sympathetic magic," so as outlandish as this may sound, I really think this fork is a talisman of a sort, a presentation fork with an extraordinary coral handle which would help to cure illness and pain with a kind of "sympathetic magic" :::

You simply could not use this fork on a regular basis, surely the coral would fracture? :

[legrandmogol]

Thanks, Phil, I believe your right with William Forrester. I think the piece is designed to be used, possibly an early lemon fork? I don't know when lemon forks first started showing up though.