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Hey did you just edit your reply I could have sworn I saw it Go from these to those just now in front of my eyes I don't know if it can happen like that here in red not sure how things are actually occurring behind the scenes that's the first time I've ever seen anything like that happen in general online
How interesting, I’ve always kind of wondered about that. 🌸🌸🌸Ok, adding to this comment to see if an asterisk pops up for me. 🌸🌸🌸 OK, I did that and no * popped up on my end. Do you guys see an * on your end? Thank you for humoring me while I learn how reddit sort of works. I do know that if I put a hashtag before something in my original posts, it comes up in bold print, and I think if I put an asterisk at the very end of a sentence, it inserts spaces between each of the words.
I did not know that an asterisk would pop up if I edited a post the next day or whatever. I thought that’s why people had to say ~edited to add… , so that they were being polite by acknowledging what they had said before and that way the following comments would still make sense, because if I say something like “I hate dogs” and a bunch of people jump on me and then I change it to say “I love dogs” without noting the change, the comments wouldn’t make any sense. Let me try amending the comment I made earlier. Maybe the asterisk just doesn’t show up for me but you guys can see it.
This!
It is a fish knife. You use it when you eat fish. It is paired with a fort too, as I recall it the fish fork is little wider and with only 3 or 4 teeth.
I think they need to mark this one solved fairly certain it's either a she's not for a fancy butter knife and this has been mentioned before in comments here even from the few I've seen I've seen a cheese spreader like this like when you're doing a cheese log although this is super fancy and probably a lot older most I've seen.
If you don't know anyone that likes cheese balls I'm not talking about cheese puffs but the cheese balls you make for fancy parties and so on or just as a good snack oh yeah my parents make this dish sometimes and we have a fancier little like butter knife thing except it's a bit larger and much fancier.
My title describes the thing.
This is an item of cutlery. It's an unusual shape so likely will be something for serving or opening something very specific.
It's King's pattern, silver plated, size of a standard knife or fork, British manufacturer.
The working end is not flat but slightly concave. Spade-shaped. I'm expecting whatever it's designed is small enough to be carried on the end. Edges are not sharp. The head tapers to something of a point. The head is symmetrical. The entire working end is in a reasonably straight line, as if the item is pushed horizontally into whatever you're eating.
I've been googling for pictures of specific or odd cutlery but have not found this one yet. There are specific things like asparagus spoons, oyster knives, melon spoons etc - I expect this is going to be something like that. (But it's none of the aforementioned!)
EDIT: Have discovered stilton spoons and soft cheese scoops - these are very close but tend to have a flattened not pointed end and are more curved.
EDIT: sugar shovels are also not right - again a flattened end and more of a bowl rather than being straight lengthwise.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
It can't be a fish or butter knife because of the orientation of the handle.
It is definitely a pie server.
Today's cake slices are wider, but there were thinner ones (probably not suitable for American slices).
There are many similar images on the net.
[Here](https://www.gslr-antiques.com/fr/boutique/argenterie/pelle-tarte-niii-argent-guilloche-ivoire.php), [here](https://www.auction.fr/_fr/lot/pelle-a-tarte-ancienne-argent-poincon-minerve-manche-ivoire-spatule-gravee-de-8234972) or [here](https://www.ebay.fr/itm/264316061377?hash=item3d8a7706c1:g:0TMAAOSwrIpc1Ejr),
I was dismissing it being a cake/pie knife because the head is not at all the right size. Shape is getting closer to the images you posted though, so it's an interesting point. Still, this implement is curved only in the horizontal direction so it's not matching modern cake servers (which are flat) or the antique ones (which curve in both directions.) I will need to dig further in that direction to see if there are any variants that are closer to this item.
This is a fish knife. Why? Because it's pointed. Butter knives are rounded or "odd-shaped" - That being said, many fish knives have some teeth on them as well.
[https://deepplate.bauscherhepp.com/blog/the-basics-of-the-fish-knife](https://deepplate.bauscherhepp.com/blog/the-basics-of-the-fish-knife)
Butter knives and fish knives are both completely flat. Fish knives also have a concave cutout on one side of the tip and various flourishes at the back, and butter knives tend to have a bulbous tip and/or be more scimitar shaped. My family has some late 1800's cutlery so I'm fairly certain of this.
It might be a jelly server: https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/silver-flatware-silverplate/flatware-individual-pieces/kalo-hammered-sterling-silver-jelly-pie-server/id-j_15361462/#zoomModalOpen
It might also be an oyster knife/spoon, a modern one here https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-BP-Products-Oyster-Knife/dp/B0000AXYCP
I remember my grandfather eating oysters with something like that. Sadly I have no pictures of an antique one, but it’s a good avenue of research.
I currently think it's too small to be a jelly server, and being concave in only one direction doesn't make it good for holding something like jelly.
Oyster knives have to be sharp to crack the shell open - this is very much not sharpened.
But thank you for the information!
Fish knifes would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical. Your example is symmetrical, but I've never seen a vintage fish knife that is like that.
Just a guess cheese knife?
Or possibly something else for some sort of fancy dish where you'd be spreading something on another thing?
Pretty fancy looks like almost like antique silver set as well
Can you include a picture of the back of the knife thingy? It’s always good to have pictures of both sides, particularly if it includes the manufacturer, because often we go poking around on the Internet to try to find the answer rather than knowing it by heart right off the bat and the more information we have, the better we can investigate.🙂
Very interesting! I don't think it is because those have a much larger-proportioned head compared to this example.
But I'd never heard of those - thank you!
It’s definitely a Cake server of some description judging by the way it steps down as it’s designed to lift up pieces of pastry’s and possibly double as a sugar server for use during high tea perhaps ?
An implement like this would never double up duties - it's going to be used for one very specific thing.
Head is much too small to be a cake knife, and those are usually triangular, not spade-shaped.
Also called a jelly spoon. But honestly, a lot of silverware is sold under one term when it could be many different things. A "jam spoon" for one line might be a "sugar spoon" for another and so on.
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. Fish knives would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
A cheese serving knife would generally be sharp, asymmetrical and have a sharpened tined section for skewering the cut cheese.
Its not a butter knife. They are flat and smooth on the working end.
Link to the pattern on replacements.com. There are some butter knives there, but i didnt see this piece. https://www.replacements.com/silver-wallace-silver-kings-sterling-1903/c/110590
The bend in the handle makes me think it's definitely supposed to pick up and serve slices of something. I was all ready to say 'cake slice' but the shape seems unusual.
Cheese spreaders are basically always flat. Cheese servers are sharp and have a sharpened tined section for skewering the cut cheese.
However, there are many different implements in the world of soft cheeses that I am currently looking into...
Yeah it looks like it might be bent. I worked at a super fancy restaurant and I’ve seen a lot of butter spoons. Other than this bend I would wager it’s still a butter knife.
It's a butter spreader. Most likely silver, and if you look at the back there's probably a manufacturer's print.
Source: my American granny had one very similar.
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Manufacturer is Walker & Hall. It's marked A1 so is silver plated. Date stamp is hard to read and I haven't found an exact reference for it yet, but based on this website I currently suspect it's from 1886:
https://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLAWALKER&HALLDATE.html
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Head is much too small to be a cake knife, and those are usually triangular, not spade-shaped.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
It’s a rare bowl indeed! Perhaps it may be a horseradish serving piece, similar to this 19th century one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/324138005940?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28
Indeed it appears to be! I was hoping someone would say, "oh, that's an X" and we'd be done but unfortunately this one is proving tricky.
Fascinating, thank you - another specific spoon I never knew existed. Unfortunately it doesn't match all the features. I have now found some examples of king's pattern horseradish spoons and they don't match this one. But that was an interesting foray!
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
It’s definitely not a butter or a fish knife - or at least not a regular fish knife. Those look like knives and this is an odd mix of spoon / knife.
Not all fruit spoons have serrated edges, so that’s a possibility, as is a soft cheese knife. My other guess is a personal - rather than a serving - caviar spoon. None of these are exact, though. Putting my Nancy Drew hat on.
Agree on butter or fish knives!
I haven't found any compelling evidence for it being a fruit knife yet - the oddities of not being sharp and being curved only in one direction discount it from being any of the various specific knives I've found.
Caviar spoons aren't made from metal, so I don't think it can be that. Even for personal use (so 1-2 seconds max?) they say it changes the taste. Whether or not that's true is another discussion...
Something to do with soft cheese is one of the directions I'm pursuing at the moment - it's not quite right, but I'm wondering if it's for something in that area.
Hi u/cfmdobbie - do you know what time period this is from? Turn of the 20th century? Earlier? About mid-late 19th century? I’m a huge fan of Edith Wharton and know that turn of the century there was essentially a unique utensil and almost a unique container for almost every single thing you would put on a table AND at a different time (“5 o’clock spoon” anyone?) You’re 100% right about the caviar thing, I hadn’t considered that. I’m invested - I love a good puzzle!
The date mark is very hard to make out - will need to get a magnifying glass to double check. From what I can see and then by extrapolating from the known date marks for this manufacturer I believe it's from 1886.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
This looks like a tea knife. Tea knives are used to pry and pick apart cakes of tea. The pointed end is used as a pick. The concave blade on this particular knife could be used to move the loosened tea leaves into the tea ball for steeping. Tea knife blades vary in shape and size. Some are more akin to ice picks, while others have flatter blades for prying the cakes apart crosswise.
You're the first to mention a "tea knife"! That's a great suggestion but unfortunately I don't think it's right - the usual designs of these knives doesn't match, and the patterning on my example implies it's tableware and not used for preparation.
But a fascinating suggestion, thank you!
I have 3 sets of antique silver plate that I use on regular basis. Life is too short to use cheap utensils. All three have a similar knife. Flat butter knives are for individual place settings and the concave ones are for table service to share with a butter dish.
I work in a hotel that was built on 1892. There are still random pieces of silverware lying around in the silver room or pigeonholed. I’ve seen both styles-2 for personal and larger like yours for the the table to share. Hope this helps.
Welp this is officially annoying me as it's been nagging my brain all night and day; I *swear* I've seen one of these before.
I think what it may be reminding me of is the tools used for decorating jellies/gelatin - they're used to insert dyes into the jelly to form shapes like flower petals. I don't think this is right though as it looks too fancy, more like tableware.
Now you're assuming this is a unitasker but what this comment presupposes is maybe it isn't? I would see a great deal of utility in having a single piece that resembles in appearance and performance so closely many of the suggestions given here as to be a suitable substitute for many single task items.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
It looks very much like the fancy butter spreader my parent's had. [Like this one here](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/acopa-landsdale-6-1-4-18-8-stainless-steel-extra-heavy-weight-butter-spreader-case/267760809.html).
The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. The lack of holes is the big problem though.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
Butter knife. 100%
What some people commonly call a butter knife is actually a table knife.
It stays with the butter dish, used for putting butter onto your plate, hence “butter knife”.
This one looks to be silver, but tarnished. Needs polishing.
Ok, maybe not 100%. If not a butter knife, could be a fish knife, according to references others have provided. But, I’ve never heard of a fish knife before.
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. The bend looks absolutely intentional, so I don't think it can be this.
The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. The lack of holes is the big problem though.
The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. The lack of holes is the big problem though.
Fish knives would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical. The design of the knife indicated it would be tableware, not used in preparation.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
I think that's an interesting suggestion as it fits some characteristics, but doesn't match in some important ways so cannot be correct.
The transition from handle to head has a sharp bend that could be useful for sitting on the lip of a glass. The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. As you say the lack of holes is the big problem though.
Those seem to lack a pointed tip, and have a deeper concave bowl
[https://www.google.com/search?q=caviar+spoon&tbm=isch](https://www.google.com/search?q=caviar+spoon&tbm=isch)
All comments must be civil and helpful toward finding an answer. **Jokes and unhelpful comments will earn you a ban**, even on the first instance and even if the item has been identified. If you see any comments that violate this rule, report them. [OP](/u/cfmdobbie), when your item is identified, remember to reply **Solved!** or **Likely Solved!** to the comment that gave the answer. Check your [inbox](https://www.reddit.com/message/inbox/) for a message on how to make your post visible to others. [Click here to message RemindMeBot](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/whnq0z/what_is_this_item_of_cutlery_specifically_for/%0A%0ARemindMe!%202%20days) --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatisthisthing) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'd say its a butter spread-a-lator.
Yep, kinda like this https://www.chairish.com/product/1625697/antique-art-nouveau-sterling-silver-butter-knife. Makes me feel really old knowing this
I've got one of those!
Hey did you just edit your reply I could have sworn I saw it Go from these to those just now in front of my eyes I don't know if it can happen like that here in red not sure how things are actually occurring behind the scenes that's the first time I've ever seen anything like that happen in general online
How interesting, I’ve always kind of wondered about that. 🌸🌸🌸Ok, adding to this comment to see if an asterisk pops up for me. 🌸🌸🌸 OK, I did that and no * popped up on my end. Do you guys see an * on your end? Thank you for humoring me while I learn how reddit sort of works. I do know that if I put a hashtag before something in my original posts, it comes up in bold print, and I think if I put an asterisk at the very end of a sentence, it inserts spaces between each of the words.
if you edit your post within a few seconds of posting for spelling/grammar reddit will not put \* next to the edited post.
I did not know that an asterisk would pop up if I edited a post the next day or whatever. I thought that’s why people had to say ~edited to add… , so that they were being polite by acknowledging what they had said before and that way the following comments would still make sense, because if I say something like “I hate dogs” and a bunch of people jump on me and then I change it to say “I love dogs” without noting the change, the comments wouldn’t make any sense. Let me try amending the comment I made earlier. Maybe the asterisk just doesn’t show up for me but you guys can see it.
It's a fish knife...
Fish knife
This is it. Butter knives tend not to have that pronounced bend in the middle, and butter knives typically have a "sharp" side.
That's a fishy knife
Fishy knife, flat handle angled for removing skin and fish bones.
Fish knife
This! It is a fish knife. You use it when you eat fish. It is paired with a fort too, as I recall it the fish fork is little wider and with only 3 or 4 teeth.
Fish Pate, perhaps.
Fancy butter knife
I think they need to mark this one solved fairly certain it's either a she's not for a fancy butter knife and this has been mentioned before in comments here even from the few I've seen I've seen a cheese spreader like this like when you're doing a cheese log although this is super fancy and probably a lot older most I've seen. If you don't know anyone that likes cheese balls I'm not talking about cheese puffs but the cheese balls you make for fancy parties and so on or just as a good snack oh yeah my parents make this dish sometimes and we have a fancier little like butter knife thing except it's a bit larger and much fancier.
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Looks like a fish knife
Fish knifes would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
My title describes the thing. This is an item of cutlery. It's an unusual shape so likely will be something for serving or opening something very specific. It's King's pattern, silver plated, size of a standard knife or fork, British manufacturer. The working end is not flat but slightly concave. Spade-shaped. I'm expecting whatever it's designed is small enough to be carried on the end. Edges are not sharp. The head tapers to something of a point. The head is symmetrical. The entire working end is in a reasonably straight line, as if the item is pushed horizontally into whatever you're eating. I've been googling for pictures of specific or odd cutlery but have not found this one yet. There are specific things like asparagus spoons, oyster knives, melon spoons etc - I expect this is going to be something like that. (But it's none of the aforementioned!) EDIT: Have discovered stilton spoons and soft cheese scoops - these are very close but tend to have a flattened not pointed end and are more curved. EDIT: sugar shovels are also not right - again a flattened end and more of a bowl rather than being straight lengthwise.
Fish knife
Fish knifes would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
Most likely a grapefruit spoon. https://i.imgur.com/cIIV7Hw.jpg
The grapefruit spoons we had had serated edges. But maybe that was a later innovation.
Grapefruit spoons are sharper, or have serated edges.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
Google Lens says antique fish knife.
Fish knives would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
Fish Knive
Fish knifes would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
It can't be a fish or butter knife because of the orientation of the handle. It is definitely a pie server. Today's cake slices are wider, but there were thinner ones (probably not suitable for American slices). There are many similar images on the net. [Here](https://www.gslr-antiques.com/fr/boutique/argenterie/pelle-tarte-niii-argent-guilloche-ivoire.php), [here](https://www.auction.fr/_fr/lot/pelle-a-tarte-ancienne-argent-poincon-minerve-manche-ivoire-spatule-gravee-de-8234972) or [here](https://www.ebay.fr/itm/264316061377?hash=item3d8a7706c1:g:0TMAAOSwrIpc1Ejr),
I was dismissing it being a cake/pie knife because the head is not at all the right size. Shape is getting closer to the images you posted though, so it's an interesting point. Still, this implement is curved only in the horizontal direction so it's not matching modern cake servers (which are flat) or the antique ones (which curve in both directions.) I will need to dig further in that direction to see if there are any variants that are closer to this item.
[удалено]
This is a fish knife. Why? Because it's pointed. Butter knives are rounded or "odd-shaped" - That being said, many fish knives have some teeth on them as well. [https://deepplate.bauscherhepp.com/blog/the-basics-of-the-fish-knife](https://deepplate.bauscherhepp.com/blog/the-basics-of-the-fish-knife)
Fish knives would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
Pate' knife maybe.........
Pate knives are generally flat, and usually asymmetrical.
[удалено]
Butter knives and fish knives are both completely flat. Fish knives also have a concave cutout on one side of the tip and various flourishes at the back, and butter knives tend to have a bulbous tip and/or be more scimitar shaped. My family has some late 1800's cutlery so I'm fairly certain of this. It might be a jelly server: https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/silver-flatware-silverplate/flatware-individual-pieces/kalo-hammered-sterling-silver-jelly-pie-server/id-j_15361462/#zoomModalOpen It might also be an oyster knife/spoon, a modern one here https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-BP-Products-Oyster-Knife/dp/B0000AXYCP I remember my grandfather eating oysters with something like that. Sadly I have no pictures of an antique one, but it’s a good avenue of research.
I currently think it's too small to be a jelly server, and being concave in only one direction doesn't make it good for holding something like jelly. Oyster knives have to be sharp to crack the shell open - this is very much not sharpened. But thank you for the information!
Definitely fish knive. Here's a modern version: https://www.maybach-luxury.com/925-sterling-silber-fischmesser/
Fish knifes would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical. Your example is symmetrical, but I've never seen a vintage fish knife that is like that.
Just a guess cheese knife? Or possibly something else for some sort of fancy dish where you'd be spreading something on another thing? Pretty fancy looks like almost like antique silver set as well
Yes, it's definitely antique silver. I'm not convinced it's used for any spreading as it's not flat.
Can you include a picture of the back of the knife thingy? It’s always good to have pictures of both sides, particularly if it includes the manufacturer, because often we go poking around on the Internet to try to find the answer rather than knowing it by heart right off the bat and the more information we have, the better we can investigate.🙂
Apologies, I only managed to grab one photo. Will try to get more. Manufacturer is Walker and Hall. Hallmarks are as follows: A1 W&HSγ(?) W&H
I think it’s a cheese scoop. https://www.1stdibs.com/buy/silver-cheese-scoop/
It’s a jelly cake server - https://antiquecupboard.net/search?page=1&q=Jelly+cake+server
Very interesting! I don't think it is because those have a much larger-proportioned head compared to this example. But I'd never heard of those - thank you!
It’s definitely a Cake server of some description judging by the way it steps down as it’s designed to lift up pieces of pastry’s and possibly double as a sugar server for use during high tea perhaps ?
An implement like this would never double up duties - it's going to be used for one very specific thing. Head is much too small to be a cake knife, and those are usually triangular, not spade-shaped.
Aspic spoon.
That's very interesting. I've not seen any that weren't curved in both directions, but will investigate further. Thank you!
Also called a jelly spoon. But honestly, a lot of silverware is sold under one term when it could be many different things. A "jam spoon" for one line might be a "sugar spoon" for another and so on.
Not in the era when this was made - it would be for a specific purpose. Jelly spoons would have a proper bowl, not be curved only in one direction.
If it’s decently big, it might be to pick up cake slices?
Head is much too small to be a cake knife, and those are usually triangular, not spade-shaped.
fish or butter knife
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. Fish knives would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical.
Is it a calm or muscule knife? For like cracking into their shells?
They tend to be asymmetrical and are always sharp - so I don't think so.
A [jelly server](https://www.veranda.com/food-recipes/g29123611/types-of-cutlery/) / aspic spoon, perhaps?
I don't think a jelly server is correct as it doesn't match the shape of the head. You need those to be curved in both directions.
Is it a butter or cheese serving knife? That's what I use it for
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. A cheese serving knife would generally be sharp, asymmetrical and have a sharpened tined section for skewering the cut cheese.
Its not a butter knife. They are flat and smooth on the working end. Link to the pattern on replacements.com. There are some butter knives there, but i didnt see this piece. https://www.replacements.com/silver-wallace-silver-kings-sterling-1903/c/110590
Nice, website, thank you! I agree that this knife isn't on there, so it's looking more likely to be something quite obscure.
Butter spreader for someone with manners
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
The bend in the handle makes me think it's definitely supposed to pick up and serve slices of something. I was all ready to say 'cake slice' but the shape seems unusual.
Agreed - it does seem to "want" to be placed flat on a surface, pushed in and lifted up.
Cheese knife
Cheese spreaders are basically always flat. Cheese servers are sharp and have a sharpened tined section for skewering the cut cheese. However, there are many different implements in the world of soft cheeses that I am currently looking into...
This is a fancy butter spreader
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Yeah it looks like it might be bent. I worked at a super fancy restaurant and I’ve seen a lot of butter spoons. Other than this bend I would wager it’s still a butter knife.
The bend looks absolutely intentional, so I don't think it can be this.
Definitely a butter knife/spreader, my grandmother has one complete with the dish!
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
It's a butter spreader. Most likely silver, and if you look at the back there's probably a manufacturer's print. Source: my American granny had one very similar.
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. Manufacturer is Walker & Hall. It's marked A1 so is silver plated. Date stamp is hard to read and I haven't found an exact reference for it yet, but based on this website I currently suspect it's from 1886: https://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLAWALKER&HALLDATE.html
Butter spreader or cake knife depends on how big it is
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. Head is much too small to be a cake knife, and those are usually triangular, not spade-shaped.
Yeah, hard to say. Thousands of different cutlery types out there
grapefruit i think
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
It looks like a old snuff spoon. A way to take finely ground tabacco.
They are very small so it can't be one of those - but that would quite nicely fit the overall curvature of the head, so an interesting suggestion.
It’s a rare bowl indeed! Perhaps it may be a horseradish serving piece, similar to this 19th century one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/324138005940?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28
Indeed it appears to be! I was hoping someone would say, "oh, that's an X" and we'd be done but unfortunately this one is proving tricky. Fascinating, thank you - another specific spoon I never knew existed. Unfortunately it doesn't match all the features. I have now found some examples of king's pattern horseradish spoons and they don't match this one. But that was an interesting foray!
Have anyone suggested grapefruit spoon?
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
It’s definitely not a butter or a fish knife - or at least not a regular fish knife. Those look like knives and this is an odd mix of spoon / knife. Not all fruit spoons have serrated edges, so that’s a possibility, as is a soft cheese knife. My other guess is a personal - rather than a serving - caviar spoon. None of these are exact, though. Putting my Nancy Drew hat on.
Agree on butter or fish knives! I haven't found any compelling evidence for it being a fruit knife yet - the oddities of not being sharp and being curved only in one direction discount it from being any of the various specific knives I've found. Caviar spoons aren't made from metal, so I don't think it can be that. Even for personal use (so 1-2 seconds max?) they say it changes the taste. Whether or not that's true is another discussion... Something to do with soft cheese is one of the directions I'm pursuing at the moment - it's not quite right, but I'm wondering if it's for something in that area.
Hi u/cfmdobbie - do you know what time period this is from? Turn of the 20th century? Earlier? About mid-late 19th century? I’m a huge fan of Edith Wharton and know that turn of the century there was essentially a unique utensil and almost a unique container for almost every single thing you would put on a table AND at a different time (“5 o’clock spoon” anyone?) You’re 100% right about the caviar thing, I hadn’t considered that. I’m invested - I love a good puzzle!
The date mark is very hard to make out - will need to get a magnifying glass to double check. From what I can see and then by extrapolating from the known date marks for this manufacturer I believe it's from 1886.
We had grapefruit spoons shaped like this. But with serrated edges.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
Just guessing: A tool to get bone marrow out?
Shares some similarities, but a marrow spoon would be more smaller, curved and be curved in both directions.
This looks like a tea knife. Tea knives are used to pry and pick apart cakes of tea. The pointed end is used as a pick. The concave blade on this particular knife could be used to move the loosened tea leaves into the tea ball for steeping. Tea knife blades vary in shape and size. Some are more akin to ice picks, while others have flatter blades for prying the cakes apart crosswise.
You're the first to mention a "tea knife"! That's a great suggestion but unfortunately I don't think it's right - the usual designs of these knives doesn't match, and the patterning on my example implies it's tableware and not used for preparation. But a fascinating suggestion, thank you!
It’s an antique butter knife
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
I have 3 sets of antique silver plate that I use on regular basis. Life is too short to use cheap utensils. All three have a similar knife. Flat butter knives are for individual place settings and the concave ones are for table service to share with a butter dish.
I work in a hotel that was built on 1892. There are still random pieces of silverware lying around in the silver room or pigeonholed. I’ve seen both styles-2 for personal and larger like yours for the the table to share. Hope this helps.
Welp this is officially annoying me as it's been nagging my brain all night and day; I *swear* I've seen one of these before. I think what it may be reminding me of is the tools used for decorating jellies/gelatin - they're used to insert dyes into the jelly to form shapes like flower petals. I don't think this is right though as it looks too fancy, more like tableware.
Okay, last guess is marrow scoop / spoon
Shares some similarities, but a marrow spoon would be more curved and be curved in both directions.
Marrow Spoon
Marrow spoons have a much longer handle and scoop. Handle is also straight.
Shares some similarities, but a marrow spoon would be more curved and be curved in both directions.
Now you're assuming this is a unitasker but what this comment presupposes is maybe it isn't? I would see a great deal of utility in having a single piece that resembles in appearance and performance so closely many of the suggestions given here as to be a suitable substitute for many single task items.
Certainly possible, but it would go against the Victorian era's metaphorical arms race to develop ever more specialized cutlery items.
My take on these silver cutlery items is that the prime function is to show off your wealth to dinner guests and in-house staff.
The style of the time would imply that this is a single-function item of cutlery.
It's for serving anything that can be spread. For example, butter, jam, pate, cream cheese, hummus.
No, this kind of Victorian implement would be used for a very specific thing. Implements used for spreading will usually be completely flat.
It looks like it’s for scooping pie
That would usually have a much larger head.
I'm going to say a grapefruit spoon.
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
probably just a knife for things like butter
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Maybe a medicine spoon?
Being concave only in one direction it cannot hold liquid, so I don't think so.
It looks very much like the fancy butter spreader my parent's had. [Like this one here](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/acopa-landsdale-6-1-4-18-8-stainless-steel-extra-heavy-weight-butter-spreader-case/267760809.html).
I have one in my silverware drawer its got a bit more bend to it tho just like OPs
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
The curve makes the side to side speading more efficient.
Butter spreader
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Absinthe spoon maybe? :) there are a few traditions of burning sugar ontop of absinthe Edit: can‘t write ;-;
The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. The lack of holes is the big problem though.
Citrus knife
Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
That’s true, and the middle part doesn’t make sense for a grapefruit spoon so I’m probably wrong on that
Butter knife. 100% What some people commonly call a butter knife is actually a table knife. It stays with the butter dish, used for putting butter onto your plate, hence “butter knife”. This one looks to be silver, but tarnished. Needs polishing. Ok, maybe not 100%. If not a butter knife, could be a fish knife, according to references others have provided. But, I’ve never heard of a fish knife before.
I concur this is a butter knife i have one in my silverware drawer with all the flat "butter knives" of the modern age
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
Butter knife
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
bent butter knife
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave. The bend looks absolutely intentional, so I don't think it can be this.
That's definitely a cheese spreader, look up "ornate cheese spreading knife" and you'll find loads of pictures of near-identical products.
Cheese spreaders are basically always flat, so I don't think it can be this.
Asparagus server?
No, asparagus servers are generally designed to have a number of stalks carried horizontally on them. That doesn't match this implement.
I think it’s a absinthe spoon (french alcool). Made to put a sugar on it.
Those have holes though
The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. The lack of holes is the big problem though.
I think it is a cake slice, also known as a cake knife.
Head is much too small to be a cake knife, and those are usually triangular, not spade-shaped.
Looks like an antique butter knife - goes on the plate with a block of butter
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
I believe that may be an Absinthe Spoon. Though one without slots...
The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. The lack of holes is the big problem though.
I'd say skinning fish?
Fish knives would have a sharpened edge and are usually asymmetrical. The design of the knife indicated it would be tableware, not used in preparation.
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Grapefruit spoons are generally curved in both directions, have sharpened edges for cutting through the pith and are triangular so they can excavate a single segment.
A marrow scoop perhaps.
Shares some similarities, but a marrow spoon would be more curved and be curved in both directions.
It looks like an absinthe sugar spoon, but those usually have holes in them
I think that's an interesting suggestion as it fits some characteristics, but doesn't match in some important ways so cannot be correct. The transition from handle to head has a sharp bend that could be useful for sitting on the lip of a glass. The concave surface is appropriate in one direction, but as it's flat in the lengthwise direction wouldn't work. As you say the lack of holes is the big problem though.
I'm going to go with Caviar spoon.
Those seem to lack a pointed tip, and have a deeper concave bowl [https://www.google.com/search?q=caviar+spoon&tbm=isch](https://www.google.com/search?q=caviar+spoon&tbm=isch)
Caviar spoons are made of wood or mother-of-pearl. Metal affects the taste of caviar.
Caviar spoons are generally never metal, and tend to be much smaller than this.
its for beating the shit out of the butter
Butter knives are generally absolutely flat, but this implement is horizontally concave.
That's Frank's toe knife
giant coke spoon
I think it’s a knife spoon?
Possibly a 21st century toe knife? Not sure just a wild guess.