Is this a piece of Silverware?

We found this going through a box of stuff. We're wondering what it was, and what it was used for. My husband was thinking nut pick, but wasn't sure. It measures 4 3/4 in long.

Anyone know? Or, it's age? Thanks!

 

Hi,
Looks like a butter pick. For picking up small squares of butter.
greg

 

I think a nut pick may be more likely than butter, but not 100%.

 

The pattern is Lorne, 1878.

 

Since it is rather damaged, it's hard to think of it as saleable for much.

 

It looks like it says "A1" on the shaft, which would be electroplate.

And it's a lobster-pick:

 

You're right that it is electroplated, but your "lobster picks" have little v-shaped grooves in the pointy end that this piece does not have.

 

See this page - as noted above, lobster picks have little v-grooves in the end, nut picks do not. Hipp's item is not a lobster pick, it's a nut pick.

https://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Utensils/Other.html

 

Thanks! You say it's damaged- is it bent?

I looked up butter picks, like Greg mentioned, and they were all 2 pronged.

Looks like our guess of a nut pick may have been right. Thanks for all of the info!

 

Pick for nuts.... Here's a full nutcracker set:

 

Thanks, Shangas! I was going to say it looks like a crab pick because we use 'em for crabs, we don't have lobsters down south!

 

It's a nut pick.
However, I have used them for crab as well.

 

@antidiem I wish you hadn't mentioned crab as I sure could eat a nice crab right now ...not a chance in present circumstances though ..

 

From the 1886 Meriden Britannia catalog:



~Cheryl

 

Yes - the pick part has been bent out of its normal shape - the next to last picture (the one before the one of the mark) shows a rather awkward bend near the end that was probably a result of someone trying to use it for some other purpose (like a hardware tool, instead of a nut pick.)

 

And your's, @SBSVC, is exactly what we have always called 'lobster pickers and crackers'!!!!!

 

I'm sure they could be used for that. But, I think they're originally nut sets. This is a nut bowl that was my husband's Grandfather's. As you can see, it's become a catch-all, for other things besides nuts. LOL But, the tools are the same as the ones in SBSVC's pic.

 

cool set, HippAntiques! And I've seen that wood bowl before with the holes and never knew what was supposed to go in the holes! Thanks!

 

Thanks! We once had nuts in it, but our cat thought they were fun to hunt. We kept finding them all over the house, because he'd sneak them out, and play with them. LOL It's always fun having a piece that's been in the family. This is on our coffee table.

 

How many nuts would a nut pick pick if a nut pick could pick nuts?