Ice fork

length: 38 1/2"
head: 7 1/2" x 4"
weight: 3 lbs 14 oz

Early to mid 1800's American ice fork. Solid iron. Not a weapon, this was used back in the days before refrigeration to split blocks of ice from larger ice slabs. I did some web searching for ya'll and found more information on the process here and here.

note received 02/08/03, when this fork was up on eBay:
"As someone who still harvests ice here in New England to keep the history of the trade alive, I have stuck my nose, in where it is probably not wanted, when I see a tool related to the ice trade on E-Bay I feel may not be described correctly. The piece you are offerring here was used in the trade, but it is a "shaver" that was used to remove "snow" ice or to thin down blocks so they fit closer together in the ice house. These were not made until the mid-19th century, and most - as I think the example you show - were not made until the 1880 to 1920 period. That's my two cents for what worth."