Exceptional
Blacksmithed Skewer Set   

Probably Northeast, Pennsylvania to New England, 18th century. 

A superb survival, this hand-wrought iron skewer set was forged by a highly skilled blacksmith. The backplate is beautifully shaped-the top finial emulating a flame. The arched holder is forward projecting, a clever and practical feature that allows the skewers to be easily removed and replaced, even when the backplate is mounted on a working hearth.

What further sets this example apart are the small details: the crisply formed diamond-shaped terminals of the arched supports and the finely drawn rattail skewers—elegant, deliberate touches seldom encountered on comparable sets.

Outstanding complex surface. Impressive scale of about 19¼ inches high from the top to the end of the longest skewer, by 6 inches wide. An essential implement in the 18th-century kitchen, skewers were used to secure meat, poultry, or fish while roasting over an open fire.