Info Required on Silver Fork

Any information about this silver fork would be much appreciated - where made, age etc. It seems to have had quite a lot of use and the marks are difficult to distinguish. It could do with cleaning but at this stage it’s easier to see the marks as it is. I haven’t seen anything like it before and wonder whether it could be described as a “meat fork”.

These are normally known as “bread forks”, presumably for lifting cut slices of bread.

The picture of the mark is far too small to make out all of the detail (and it’s also upside down). The manufacturer appears to be [something] [E, C or G?] [&] [Co]. But I’m pretty sure the last part reads EP over NS for electroplated nickel silver - so it’s not in fact silver.

Phil

Thanks so much for the information regarding the bread fork. It’s very hard to decipher anything on it so you’ve done well. It could read EP NS and as you say wouldn’t be silver. I presumed it was silver as there was no areas that had rubbed showing a different metal underneath. I’ve taken another photo which may be clearer.

The base metal in EPNS, nickel silver, is silver-coloured so doesn’t show up clearly when the plating has gone. The manufacturer’s initials are AT&Co for Ainsworth, Taylor & Co of Birmingham.

The date would be late 19th century up to about 1909 when the company went out of business.

Phil

That’s great information - thanks so much Phil. Just what I wanted to know about the fork.