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Quote:The Len Morgan replica (apart from being in brass rather than silver) is pretty accurate- and I can personally vouch that it is 100% functional. It fascinated some other people in the pub that Jim and I were drinking in, and always has a big impact when I do school visits.
I hope you tell them it's second/third century Paul?! :wink:
I have seen the original at the Fitzwilliam Museum. Len's version was made in bronze as it was cheaper and easier to produce than in silver.
I have one too, and I have always made people aware that it was of a later period but it is a good way of showing advanced Roman technology to the public at displays.
Although a rarity I cannot believe that it was a one off or 'just appeared'. After all, the 5th Century B.C shows Poseidon with a trident and the same instrument was used by the Retiarius in the arena. Logical thinking people might decide a 3 pronged fork was good for picking up snails, meat and vegetables as well as spearing fish and men , after all they’re meat as well!
There is another multi-tool at Verulamium Museum (St Albans), but it is a combination knife and spoon.
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Third century? Fantastic! With a small 'push', we, Late Romans couls use it! 
How much does Len charge for the Swiss kife?
8)
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Rolf Steiner
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"I hope you tell them it's second/third century Paul?! "  Not sure the ten year olds have that strong a grasp of the Roman chronology!
And the guy in the pub was just dumbstruck and impressed at the level of Roman technology! As am I....we took a giant step backwards after 410 AD...
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Unbelievable - and I thought I had seen most already.
Caballo, about 410 AD and afterwards I agree totally with You.
Greets - Uwe
Greets - Uwe
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Many thanks, Adrian!
Mmmmh, affordable... 8)
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Roman use of the fork is testimonial. A few more exemples in all the roman empire it's a very poor number. Therefore, we can say romans don't use forks usually.
Then, if we want to show forks in our re-enactment impression, probably we have to advice it's a very unusual thing or people can get a wrong idea.
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Right, unless you're a wealthy and decadent Tribunus...
Aitor :lol:
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Hah, yes! I remember that.
On the Adam Hart-Davis series 'What the Romans Did for Us', they said catagorically that the Romans didn't have forks. Then they showed that combination tool, and mentioned it had a fork. Great consitency!
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Hi all,
some more information on this:
today I checked Sherlock, D. (1988) A combination Roman eating implement, Source title: Antiquaries Journal [comments: 310-311, pl. xlix]
this actually is about another find that is very similar, but was auctioned at Sotheby's in 1986. It seems that there are at least 2 more such sets besides the one auctioned and the one at the museum mentioned above. Those 2 were found in Bulgaria and Italy respectively.
The auctioned one is reported as being from the early 3rd century and has an interesting little feature I didn't see with the other one, namely a small device to fasten/unfasten the fork/spoon thing to the handle. Quite convenient.
I forgot my camera this time, but will post pics of this one here next week or so and will also try to dig deeper and unearth the articles about the other combi-tool sets ....
And yes, I'm very much tempted to try and build one of those in silver ... ;-) )
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"And yes, I'm very much tempted to try and build one of those in silver "
Let me know if you'd like more pics of mine.
And look forward to more pics of the originals!
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Hi,
here are the pics of the very similar implement sold in 1986 at Christie's (not Sotheby's as I said above, sorry):
![[Image: SwissArmyKnife_04small.jpg]](http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e268/ummos1501/ThingsRoman/Eating/SwissArmyKnife_04small.jpg)
![[Image: SwissArmyKnife_05small.jpg]](http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e268/ummos1501/ThingsRoman/Eating/SwissArmyKnife_05small.jpg)
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Thanks Martin,
If you are thinking seriously on making a silver replica, I'd be interested in having another one, provided that the cost isn't outrageous... 8)
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Quote:If you are thinking seriously on making a silver replica, I'd be interested in having another one, provided that the cost isn't outrageous... 8)
I'll keep it in mind, Aitor :-) ) Still digging for more source material at the moment (btw, I'll get to the library again next week and see what I can do about the article you wanted).
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OK, thanks, Martin!
Aitor
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