This is a Victorian Silver & MOP folding fruit knife & nut pick in it's original fitted box, by the illustrious silversmiths Hilliard & Thomason, & fully hallmarked for Sheffield 1894.

The knife has mother of pearl scales with a vacant, shield shaped Silver cartouche to one side, brass liners & divider, & a decorative bolster. The spine looks to have been Gilded originally.

The knife is unusual in that, in addition to the usual Silver blade, it also has a Silver nut pick. The blade & pick are separated (when folded) by a brass divider.

Both the blade & the nut pick are fully hallmarked with the makers mark 'H&T' (Hilliard & Thomason, who worked from Spencer St, Birmingham), the crown (Sheffield), the lion passant (925 Sterling), & the date letter; 'a' on the blade (1893 - 94) & 'b' on the pick (1894 - 95).

The original case is rectangular in form, & is covered in a dark brown morocco leather with Gilt tooling to the top. The box is opened via a sprung push button & hinges open to reveal the blue silk lined lid & the blue velvet fitted base.

The interior lid of the case is gilt blocked with the retailers mark of a crown over 'AITCHISON BROS - GOLDSMITHS & WATCHMAKERS - 2 LUDGATE HILL LONDON AND 60 LEITH STREET EDINBURGH'.

Condition of the knife is fine for it's 115 years, with the opening, closing, & 'lock' of the blade & pick fine. The only point to note is that the very tip of the blade has a bend (minor & easily addressed).

Condition of the case is fine, with only a couple of minor, age related, marks.

The knife measures approx 2 3/4" (7cm) closed, with a blade length of approx 2" (5cm) & a pick length of approx 1 3/8" (3.5cm).

Overall, a scarce & unusual Victorian Silver folding pocket / fruit knife & pick, from a renowned maker, & in it's original fitted case.