A Real Lemon

Somewhere, some time ago, someone dreamt up a new utensil and out of need came the lemon fork. We can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times we have actually used such an implement. But almost every sterling silver pattern or silverplate pattern has just such a fork in its inventory. What exactly do these things actually do? I will be attending a "tea" one day soon, and I suspect that there I might just find one hanging about with sugar tongs, tea diffusers, gallery trays, and some teaspoons.

I have used my lemon forks for all manner of stuff - from stabbing at olives in a small bowl to unravelling sardines on a plate. I am sure that we could all come up with at least 10 more interesting things we could find to do with the lemon fork. They are rather cute little things, all shiny and delicate and just waiting for us to put them to good use. I have taken some of the more interesting ones that I have here in the shop and put them out for you to see. What wonderful ideas do you have for the little lemon fork that can make it one of those quirky luxuries that make our everyday special??

Show Me Some Style

Whenever I look at a piece of well-used silver or a piece of vintage linen I am struck by the beauty not only of the exquisite design, but also of the detail and style of the monogram so carefully placed on the item. Monograms are, for me, a design element in themselves. They add to the value of certain pieces because of their personalization for the owner whose mark is shown. When studying these various pieces of history it is always interesting to note the differing styles used and how they might be reflective of the socio-economic as well as historic importance of the era. In the shop I have many really quaint pieces that are "perfect" despite the mystery of their intended use or previous ownership. I have chosen them because of their visual delight, and their capacity to "sing" to me as I gaze at them. I have included some examples of ones that are of particular interest to me and I hope that you enjoy looking at them. An interesting area to investigate would be archives of "pop" music for the same time. Perhaps a visit to Google is in order again!!