Caroline Antique Treasures is a monthly feature on various antique treasures from around the area.

If you have an antique item that you would like to submit for consideration to be featured in a future issue, please contact me at CATreasures2026@gmail.com.

This month we are featuring a set of circa 1810 flatware.  Both the knives and forks are made of steel with horn handles and brass butt plates, pinned in place with an American Eagle stamped into them.  The eagle was placed on these items to appeal to the patriotic American market at the time.   The forks have two very pointy steel prongs, and the sharp knives have a rounded point and dull back.

The blades of the knives are marked “N&S SHEAR STEEL.”  N&S stands for Naylor and Sanderson, a British Manufacturer from Sheffield, England, who produced flatware for the American market.  Shear steel is an early type of carbon steel made by bundle-forging blister steel and was historically used to make knives, swords, and shears.

N&S petitioned the British Parliament during the War of 1812 to end the war because the United States was their main customer with roughly 83% of their production exported to the United States.  Due to the embargoes, N&S was forced to lay off almost all of their employees.

Even though these forks and knives look very dangerous, the author can proudly say that these knives cut through steak like butter. He has personally used these utensils on numerous occasions and has not once ended any of these meals with a trip to the emergency room.

Colonel Christopher Grazzini served over 25 years in the United States Air Force.  He is a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors, the Company of Military Historians and the Maryland Arms Collectors Association.  He and his wife Wendi are currently restoring their historic home on the Choptank River, Potter Hall.