Wonderful Antique Oak Cased Silver & Horn Carving Set (Military Issue)

This impressive, fine antique, oak cased, five-piece horn handled carving set with sterling silver mounts and ferrules, was made for the ‘Army and Navy Stores’ by ‘Thomas Turner & Company’ (T.T.) at the Suffolk Works in Sheffield, England in 1906. The set consists of a large and smaller carving knife, a large and smaller carving fork and a large meat skewer, all horn handled, with impressive solid silver, English hallmarked terminals, which are decorated with embossed rams’ heads and floral work.  The solid silver ferrules have a similar decoration. The large blade is stamped by the makers, with the smaller blade and skewer stamped ‘V crown R’ for (Victoria), and ‘A & N. C. S. L.’ for (Army and Navy Co-operative Society Ltd) (This company was formed by Army and Navy Officer’s in 1871). I believe this carving set is Victorian and was given to a military officer, who after the war (possibly Boer War), had the silver mounts re-done in 1906. The set comes with its original, fitted oak case, lined with purple velvet and satin. There’s a simple carved out pattern around the border of the lid with a blank oval brass cartouche in the centre. The carving set is in great condition for its age, with minor surface blemishes to the steel blades and forks. The knives measure 43cm and 31cm in length, the forks measure 30cm and 28cm, with the skewer measuring 36cm. The case measures 46cm x 18cm x 4cm, and together the set weighs 1,9kg.