Of heavy gauge .958 silver, the three tines and flat shaft ending in a wavy-end (dognose) terminal,

11 terminals engraved with a crest :

A Saracen’s  head in profile couped at the shoulders proper hair and beard or

 on the head a chapeau azure turned up tasseled (for Prideaux, Devonshire and Cornwall);

the Spackman example, also 1707, terminal crested : a wolf's head erased, Fairbairns 30.1

 (Abrook et al, possibly with a yet unproven connection to the Prideaux family)

Note :

The Prideaux family was begun in England by Paganus de Prideaux, who held Prideaux Castle in Cornwall

 under William I, suggesting participation in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The family of Prideaux-Brune,

of Prideaux Place, Cornwall, descend from the Prideauxs of Soldon.

Their family crest includes the head of a Saracen, denoting their participation in the crusades.

Condition : The tine tips with wear, some shorter to the outer tines; marks rubbed on most, but several legible;

most crests still in good readable order

Prior to the late 17th century, forks had only two sharp tines. 

At the very end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, silver dinner forks with three tines were introduced -

the three tines representing the thumb and two first fingers, then proper for transporting solid foods to the mouth.

Although forks had existed since biblical times, they were quite slow to catch on in England. 

The earlier British clergy contended that God gave people fingers for eating,

 and declared forks to be diabolical (forks sometimes then referred to as "pitchforks",

having the same Latin root furca). 

The "sherbet course" was introduced in the early 1700's, not to clear the palette, as commonly thought,

but for the washing of the single fork for the next course.

Queen Anne dognose forks are quite rare and therefore quite expensive -

more suitable for the collector than for table use. 

Forks at this time were set face down on the table. 

It is said that the placement was to keep the tines from “catching”

in the long lace cuffs worn during that period of time.

7.5” Long / 27.4 oz

SOLD

#6796

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