DESCRIPTION: These are a pair of colonial primitive three tine forks from New England circa 1700s. The first dinner forks were made with two flat prongs. The earliest two-prong fork to bear an English hallmark and engraved with the coat of arms date to 1632. But when it came to spearing certain foods, such as peas and grains, the widely spaced two-prong fork was impractical, and between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the tines increased in number from two to three and then to four. Moreover, from the late seventeenth century to the eighteenth century the profile of the fork changed from flat to slightly curved in shape that accommodated a scoop of soft food, such as peas. The three tine forks are wrought iron made by blacksmith and have a beautiful primitive detail and style. The three tine forks are slightly curved which makes them American. The bowls on the three tine forks have beautiful shape and form and have both elegance and grace. The handles are made of animal horn and have a tiny copper rivet for stability and wear. MEASUREMENTS: One fork is 6 inches long and the other is 6 ½ inches long.

Excellent condition with an age appropriate patina.