Antique silver plate pickle fork by Albert Pick & Co. of Bridgeport, Connecticut for the Hotel Roberts, with an HR monogram. (c. 1907)
Usually olive forks had two tines and pickle forks had three. However, this varies with different companies and between patterns. In a few old brochures, some were even listed as butter picks or butter forks, and they can easily serve this purpose, too. Pickle forks with longer handles were intended to be used with pickle casters or tall jars. Other uses for this type of antique silver pickle or olive fork flatware are to serve pickled herring, smoked fish, cocktail oysters, clams, onions and any other pickled or marinated fruits or vegetables. They can also be used as lobster picks or cocktail forks.
Although sometimes not as ornate or popular as a collectible, hotel silver is slowing making inroads into the silver collecting market.
Most hotel silver is engraved or marked with the hotel’s name or logo, in addition to the silver or silverplate manufacturer’s name. Hotel silver is very durable, as it received more than normal use and wear. Manufacturers of hotel silver purposely crafted hotel silver to be very durable.
Three of the largest manufacturers of commercial hotel silver were International Silver Company, Reed & Barton and Gorham Silver. Bumps, dings and dents are very common and a real part of its charm. You would be hard pressed to find hotel silver in pristine condition, but if you do, those are the most valuable. Hotel silver from well-known and prestigious hotels is the most sought after by serious collectors of vintage silver.
As noted, the ornate cartouche has been engraved with the initials HR, for the Hotel Roberts. Heel wear is noted on the bottom of this pickle fork and the very tip of the tines show some wear. Overall, a very historic and collectible piece of hotel silver flatware.
This ornate silverplate pickle fork measures 5.75" in length, weighs .8 ounces and is touchmarked on the back of the pickle fork handle with ALBERT PICK & COMPANY, PAT. '07 with an S between two arrows and in script, HOTEL ROBERTS. You can read more about the history of Albert Pick & Company from our Silver Manufacturers pages.
A1314 - ALBERT PICK & COMPANY Antique Silver Plate Pickle Fork HOTEL ROBERTS / Hotel Silver Flatware
$15.00 First Class Mail
