Set of 6 fruit knives and forks
Sterling silver, chalcedony
By Moses Brent
London 1813/14
Each engraved with the crest of the Valpy family (a branch of which eventually settled in New Zealand). Moses Brent specialised in producing fine quality flatware and mounting goods for other industries. It is likely the faceted chalcedony handles were produced by a specialist stone cutter and supplied to the silversmith to be set (hence subtle variation in size).
There are a pair of pistols held in the Royal Museums Greenwich commissioned by Admiral Horatio Nelson which are also mounted by Brent.
One knife with hairline.