Lot #59: Antique Victorian Imari Porcelain Handle Salad Serving Spork/Spoon c. 1890s, EPNS

Antique Victorian Imari Porcelain Handle Salad Serving Spork/Spoon c. 1890s, EPNS An elegant, genuine late-Victorian serving spork featuring a beautifully hand-painted Staffordshire porcelain handle in the classic Japanese-inspired Imari style. Manufactured in England circa the 1890s, this individual serving piece is a gorgeous addition for collectors looking to complete a period salad set or add an exquisite historical accent to a modern tablescape. Item Specifications: Item Type: Antique Salad Serving Spoon / Spork (Slotted Bowl) Era / Period: Late Victorian (Circa 1890–1900) Origin: Sheffield / Birmingham, England, United Kingdom Handle Material: Authentic Hand-Painted Staffordshire Porcelain Handle Pattern: Traditional Imari Palette (Cobalt Blue, Rust/Iron-Red, and Fine Gold Gilt Highlights) Metal Component: EPNS (Electroplated Nickel Silver) Detailed Description & Features: This individual antique salad server highlights the height of late-19th-century British craftsmanship. The Artistry: The porcelain handle features an intricate, hand-painted asymmetrical floral vine motif and a traditional multi-petaled chrysanthemum crest (Mon) set inside a white reserve on the cobalt blue collar. Faint, delicate red scrollwork covers the reverse side. The Identification: The metal ferrule is cleanly stamped in traditional Victorian-era block lettering with "EPNS", alongside two distinct maker symbols consistent with the historic Birmingham silver-plating firm Smith & Bartlam (S & B). Hidden Details: The cobalt blue collar features a rare, integrated white panel containing a hand-painted factory pattern code—a subtle detail highly valued by antique collectors. Condition Report: Overall Condition: Excellent antique condition given its 130-year age. Porcelain: Structurally sound with no chips, cracks, or structural repairs. Features a beautiful, authentic network of age-related fine glaze crazing across the white porcelain body, confirming its genuine antique status. The hand-painted enamels remain vibrant, with light, honest wear to the gold gilt highlights consistent with handling over the past century. Metal: The silver-plated spoon stem and bowl are structurally perfect with no bends. The metal currently shows a deep, untouched historic tarnish (patina), which has been left completely intact for the buyer's preference. (Can be easily polished to a bright silver shine if desired). Nearest intersection Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue Pickup category timeslot {A}