Original British Early Victorian Cased Carving Knife and Fork Set from Salvage of HMS Royal George – Sunk 1782 Original Items

Original Item: One of a Kind. The loss of H.M.S. ROYAL GEORGE, the pride of the Royal Navy, in 1782 was a true shock to Great Britain. It was England’s LARGEST Man-o-War and its sinking affected England much like the Loss of the U.S.S. ARIZONA at Pearl Harbor in WW2. In the 1840s there was an attempt to salvage some of this massive ship’s components, and many were turned into tributes to the great disaster.

Here is a lovely pair of Carving Knife and Fork made from the steel recovered from the great Battle Ship and clearly marked on the Knife blade to that effect. The knife is 12 1/2 inches long, with a very sharp 7 3/4 inch blade, while the fork is 9 1/2 inches long with 3 inch tines. They are contained in a lovely hinged wooden case, which measures 14″ x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4″.

This set was presented by FREDERICK H. GIBBONS to WILLARD CHURCH in 1925 having been the property of his Grand Father prior to 1850. There is a script card nailed onto the inside lid of the wood case confirming this history and pointing out that the custom wood case was made by WILLIAM CHURCH in November 1925.:

Carving knife and Fork
Made from the wreck of the
Royal George
Sunk at Spithead 1782, 1000 lives lost.
Given to Willard Church, November
1925 by Frederick H. Gibbons
Given to grandfather of Hr. Gibbons
Prior to 1850.
Bos made by Willard Church
November. 1925.

The stag horn gripped Carving knife bears three imprints to the blade. Firstly giving the makers name, secondly certifying they were made from the Wreck of the ROYAL GEORGE, and thirdly a stamping certifying that she was SUNK AT / SPITHEAD 1782 / 1000 LIVES LOST. The imprints are somewhat faded due to use of the set and sharpening, but are still mostly legible. It was an 18th Century Marine disaster comparable to the 1912 loss of S.S. TITANIC.

A fascinating historical set, ready to use or display.