What Size is it?

Is it Lunch, Dinner, Place or perhaps Grille? Confused? Many are. When patterns were introduced there were two sizes of the standard knife and fork, a luncheon size and a dinner size. The "Luncheon" being smaller for the breakfast and lunch meals. The larger "Dinner" being used for the dinner or more formal meal. In the 1940's a few manufactures produced a "Grille" size, which had an elongated handle and shorter knife blade and fork tines. (An example of this is Stateley by State House.)

Then in the late 50's, early 60's, manufactor's started producing a "Place" size which was larger than the luncheon size but smaller than the dinner size. Some just renamed their luncheon size fork, made some minor changes to their luncheon size knife, and called both their "Place" size.

Here is the "rule" of thumb to go by:

A luncheon fork is between 6 7/8 and 7 1/4 inches

A place fork is between 7 1/4 and 7 3/8 inches

A dinner fork is between 7 1/2 and 8 inches

A luncheon knife is between 8 3/4 and 9 inches

A place knife is between 9 1/8 and 9 1/4 inches

A dinner knife is between 9 5/8 and 10 inches

Pudding Spoon

Not designed for Jello type creamy pudding, the silver Pudding Spoon was designed to serve the Victorian pudding dish which was a vegetable or corn dish. This would often have a crust and the point on the end of the spoon could pierce the crust. An old piece that is not often found

(Shown in Landers No.2 by Baker Manchester 7 1/2 inches)

(Shown in Georgian by Towle 9 1/8  inches)

Dessert Place Pieces

The Dessert Fork is placed above the plate or charger at the meal for the dessert following the meal. The Desert Fork is shorter and wider than a regular place fork in a place setting.

(Dessert Fork in Hyperion by Whiting 6 1/4 inches)

(Dessert Knife shown in Audubon by Tiffany 7 1/2 inches)

After a pastry is served to you with a pastry server, you are to eat the pastry with a Pastry Fork . However, it is easier to eat a Danish or Cinnamon Roll with a Fruit Fork (fun facts to know and tell). A Pastry Fork is usually a bit smaller fork than a desert fork.

(Pastry Fork shown in Mazarin by Dominick and Haff 6  inches)

Ice Cream Things

Ice Cream, being a very popular Victorian desert deserved all the appropriate utensils. One has the Ice Cream Fork, Ice Cream Spoon, Ruffled Sherbet Spoon, Sherbet Spoon, and Sherbet Fork,

Ice Cream Forks were the first "sporks" having a bowl shape like a spoon with short tines attached to the end.

(Ice Cream Fork shown in Buttercup by Gorham (5 1/4 inches))

(Ice Cream Forks shown in Puritan by Gorham (5 1/2 inches))

(Ice Cream Spoon shown in Majestic by Alvin 5 1/2 inches)

(Ruffled Sherbet Spoon shown in Chrysanthemum by Tiffany (5 3/8 inches))

(Sherbet Spoons shown in Baltimore Rose by Schofield (5 7/8 inches))

(Sherbet Fork shown in Mary Chilton by Towle (4 3/4 inches))
 Differ from Ice Cream forks in that the tines or connected.

Cheese Cleaver

The Cheese Cleaver is designed to cut pieces of cheese from a large round or "chunk".

(Cheese Cleaver shown in Old Newbury by Towle 7 inches)

Terrapin Place Fork

Edwardian and Victorian menus often included terrapin dishes, which were seen as delacies. And, of course one needs special utensils to enjoy the meal.

(Shown in Georgian by Towle 5 1/4 inches)

(Shown in Versailles by Gorham  5 1/8 inches)

Pea Server

I never could find any information on this piece but I think it speaks for itself. One uses it to serve peas and the holes or piercing drain the liquid. You can find this in many different patterns.

(Shown is Florentine by Alvin)

Caviar Pieces

Caviar pieces in patterns vary greatly. There are forks, knives, and spoons. Some have horn, in some very rare cases ivory, but more popular mother of pearl bowls. The school of thought is that the metal bowls of the spoon will give the caviar an "off" flavor. However, since caviar is sometimes packed in metal tins, this cannot be true. It is the sterling that has certain properties that effect the taste of the delicacy. Therefore, most spoons in sterling patterns, if metal, will be gold gilt.

(Caviar Fork shown in Vine by Tiffany 6 inches)

(Caviar Knife in unknown Austrian pattern)

(Caviar Shovel in Acorn by Georg Jensen)

Ice Serving Pieces

Several pieces can be found dealing with serving ice.

This piece, the Ice Scoop, is available in most patterns today. Like in some other pieces beware of "Custom" pieces (in that they have been reworked by others and are not authentic pieces by the original manufacturer). You can check the list of all original pieces in a pattern to see what pieces were offered (at any time). They will (usually) include on the list discontinued pieces.

(Ice Scoop shown in French Regency by Wallace)

Ice Tongs are used for serving ice cubes and can be very ornate as shown here. They are still found in many patterns today.

(Ice Tongs Shown in Georgian by Towle)

My guess is that prior to the "scoop", the Ice Spoon with its pierced bowl, was used to serve ice. The pieces you can find are rare and in very old patterns.

(Ice Spoon shown in Chantilly by Gorham)

Toast Serving Fork

Once again the Victorians' germaphobe tendencies came out with this piece. They were concerned about someone "touching" their toast or rolls when being served. The answer - a silver Toast Serving Fork. One would use this to "stab" his bread from the basket then place it on his plate. (According to Amy Vanderbilt it is proper to eat your bread with your fingers, so I guess they just had to deal with that conundrum.)

Revere by International (7 3/8 inches)