Quote Originally Posted by Mark E. View Post
In Germany, I have seen tine handled eating pieces, in trouses from the 15th century, along with some that would have found place at a table. Limited to knives and forks of a definate personal nature. In Romania, as well-but of a size that would have indicated serving utinsels. Bone handles were quite common, both in England as well as the rest of western Europe-if pewter casting was not readily available, it would make sense as an alternative. My reasoning was that if I were a huntsman/ghillie, my access to antler as a raw material would have been greater than others...and stronger than wood for its proportions and application.
Oh, absolutely!

I'm just thinking about the supposed Scottish tradition of antler-handled dirks being "daywear" items. I rather doubt that such were used in Scotland during what we often think of as the "Jacobite era" as I've seen plenty of dirk handles from that period in wood, brass, bone, and pewter. . .but never antler. I suspect this particular tradition is no older than the sgian dubh, and is likely a more recent development even than that.