Two-tined steel fork with horn handle. Conical horn handle is tapered and curved with tang of fork entering a hole at the cut-off horn tip. Butt end has 1-inch diameter opening that has a fitted wood plug secured with two metal rivets entering opposite sides of horn. Two heavy wires protrude from plug and are clinched in crude manner back onto plug.
Shank of fork extends from horn in a very slight vase shape before broadening out to well-shaped shoulders supporting 1.75" long tines that taper and curve down and forward to pointed tips.
Surface of horn is quite weathered from washing, with some scarring and small natural holes. Butt end is quite dark with soil and use. Steel is somewhat darkened with stains as well as some abrasions on tines.
Wrought iron, two-tine meat fork. Long narrow handle of flat bar stock, except for one short round section near tines end. Handle end is rounded, with hanging hole. Heavily decorated with semi-circles along edges of top, like scalloping. Stamped "H. R. EBY" near midpoint.
Two tines are rounded and curved down and back up as viewed from side. Tines have a rectilinear "U" shape configuration with sharp corners at shoulders.
See Notes
Mastersonville, Rapho Twp. and Penn Twp.
Provenance
Dealer purchased form from someone who in turn had purchased the iron collection of an Elizabethtown collector.
Compare with another Eby fork, 18.5" long, pictured on page 50 of J. Lasansky's book "To Draw, Upset and Weld."
Also Jason Miller, "A Directory of Lanc. Co., PA Blacksmiths," 2001, p. 27.
Light corrosion on top surface; heavier corrosion under handle.
Object ID
P.04.05.1
Notes
Eby was raised in Penn Twp. and later moved to Mastersonville, Rapho Twp. for most of his adult life, before retiring to Lebanon Co. He & Lizzie are buried in Penryn Cemetery.
1860 Census- age 4 in Penn Twp.
1870 Census- age 15, a "servant" in home of uncle? Chr. Ruhl, Brickerville
1880 Census - age 28 in Penn Twp.
1900 Census - age 44 in Rapho Twp.
1910 Census - age 54 in Rapho Twp.
1920 Census - age 63 in S. Londonderry Twp., Lebanon Co.
1930 Census - age 73 in S. Londonderry Twp., Lebanon Co. (No occupation listed)