American Antique Coin Silver Serving Fork, c. 1880

This wonderful serving fork features a large deep bowl area with long, wide tines. This whole area is beautifully engraved with various foliage and is partially gilt. The handle has an engraved border with a simple sprig rising towards an engraved ‘G’ initial. Serving forks like this were often called ‘vegetable’ serving forks.

Jeweler William P. Jones, from Newburyport, MA, apprenticed under A. F. Towle and was in partnership with him for many years until 1873, when he established his own retail jewelry firm at 28 State Street. (1) This fork could easily have been made by A. F. Towle.

The back is stamped ‘COIN.’ along with a retailer ‘W.P.JONES.’ It measures 8.5 inches long, weighs 2.65 troy ounces, and is in very good antique condition.

Endnote:

1. Marc Cedron, ed., Simple Elegance: Generations of Newburyport Silversmiths, (Newburyport: Historical Society of Old Newburyport, 1998), pp. 44-45.