Object Type:The carving fork first appeared in the late medieval period, for use with the carving knife, which had evolved earlier. Sets of knife and fork became more common from the mid-17th century. Later, the carving fork could be bought with a carving knife and a steel for sharpening the knife.
Food & Drink: The prodigious English consumption of meat, particularly roast beef, was commented on by visitors from abroad and proudly acknowledged by Englishmen. One traveller commented in 1789: 'The French eat a great deal of bread and very little meat; the English much meat and little bread.'

In the 18th century roast meat would be carved at the table by the host or hostess under the fashionable code of dining conduct known as à la Française. Carving was considered to be an important social skill for men and women. Etiquette manuals, as well as cookery books, explained the finer points of carving different joints of meat, poultry and game. New foods such as meat in sauce (entrées), and a change to the manner of serving the dinner, so that the carving was done by servants away from the dinner table (à la Russe), did not diminish the English appetite for roast meat.


Retailing: In the 19th century carving implements were generally sold in boxed sets of two, three or five. In the larger sets the knife, fork and steel were supplemented with a smaller knife and fork for carving smaller game birds and poultry. The handles were often of staghorn (as here) or ivory, or plated with silver detailing and steel blades. A similar boxed set with ivory handles was offered for sale in James Dixon & Sons' catalogue of 1892 for 44s (£2.20).