Silver wedding fork, Netherlands, ca. 1600

Museum silver wedding fork in the Renaissance style, dating from around 1600.

Wedding forks, like this one, were given by a wealthy groom to his (future) wife at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century on the occasion of their marriage or engagement. They were part of a set consisting of two knives or a knife and a fork, with a matching sheath.

This wedding fork is engraved on the side with Trintien Ockes. It is also beautifully engraved with Fides (Faith) above and Empir below.

The fork is designed in the style of Johann Theodor de Bry .

Anton Cruysheer wrote an article (Detector magazine, September 2024, page 9) explaining that 55 such handles were found in the Netherlands during an inventory, almost all of them in museum collections. They are also occasionally found with a metal detector.

Based on the locations and dates on the handles, they can be dated between 1581 and 1636.

The fork has been restored and is therefore in good used condition.

Fork weight: 40.5 grams. Fork length: 18.5 cm.