George III sterling silver game bird or meat skewer with ring loop finger piece, hallmarked London 1808 and maker's mark (illegible) to rewrite: Silver skewers, however, were utilised as functional flatware used to hold joints of meal or poultry in place while being carved. The skewer’s secondary purpose was to test if the meat was fully cooked; with silver being a good heat conductor this would allow the meat to be cooked from within.
The physical design of the piece allows the skewer to be pulled from the joint using the ring loop finger piece. As this upper portion would protrude out of the meat join on the dining table, skewers are commonly engraved with initials or heraldic crests – denoting the family name of the hosting household.
The ornamentation to the skewer developed to include bead and reed ornamentation to the finger piece and shell designs in conjunction with the tapering shaft, reflecting that of a spoon’s heel. These additions to decoration enabled skewers to be produced and included within 19th century canteens of cutlery, incorporating the popular cutlery pattern elements. The design of a silver skewer was ornate. The upper portion of the skewer often featured a ring loop finger piece, making it easy to pull out of the joint when serving. This exposed upper section was commonly engraved with initials or heraldic crests, signifying the hosting household's family name.
Size: 8 h in
C21043
