A Family Heirloom
This fork didn't come from an estate sale or an antique dealer. It came from a family.
Passed from grandmother to mother — and now offered here — this R. Wallace & Sons sterling silver cold meat fork carries more than 125 years of American silversmithing. It carries the memory of tables set with care, of meals that mattered, of women who knew the difference between something made to last and something made to sell.
We don't know every hand that held it. But we know the last two.
R. Wallace & Sons: America's Silver Legacy
Founded in 1835 in Wallingford, Connecticut, R. Wallace & Sons became one of the most celebrated names in American silversmithing. By the turn of the 20th century, Wallace silver was found on the tables of families who valued quality, craftsmanship, and permanence — pieces made not for a season but for generations.
This cold meat fork dates to approximately 1900 — right at the cusp of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when ornate repousse work was at its height and sterling silver flatware was considered a mark of a well-appointed home.
The Piece Itself
At 7 inches long with three elegant tines, this serving fork is hallmarked STERLING on the reverse — solid sterling silver, not silverplate. The handle features exquisite repousse scroll and floral work with a raised decorative shoulder, the kind of detail that required a skilled hand and hours of work.
On the oval cartouche: a hand-engraved Old English script monogram “B” — the original owner's initial, pressed into silver more than 125 years ago. We don't know who “B” was. But we know they had excellent taste.
- Maker: R. Wallace & Sons
- Material: Sterling silver (hallmarked)
- Style: Repousse scroll and floral handle
- Tines: Three-tine cold meat / serving fork
- Length: 7 inches
- Circa: 1900
- Monogram: Old English script capital “B”
- Condition: Excellent — tines straight, strong detail throughout
For the Collector or the Table
Sterling silver of this age and quality belongs in one of two places: a serious silver collection, or back on a table where it can do what it was made to do. Either way, it deserves to be appreciated.
At $199, this is a distinguished piece at an accessible price for what it represents — American silversmithing at its Victorian peak, with provenance written right into the handle.