History of the Spork

by Brandon Barker

Since the 1870s, the spork has been called visionary, useless, even confusing. But its fortunes may be changing. Welcomed by a modern era that values variety, convenience and individuality, the spork is now considered an inventive and ever-evolving form of cutlery.

What Is It?

The spork is a half spoon and half fork. It has a long handle that leads to a spook-like bowl with three or four tines — or prongs — at the end. In some cases, the spork has a knife-like edge on one side of the bowl.

The word "spork" is known as a portmanteau, a word formed by combining two other words and their meanings — in this case the words "spoon" and "fork." While the word "spork" was commonly used in 1909 and patented in 1970, the first spoon-fork hybrid appeared decades earlier.

Why Was It Invented?

The spork was originally conceived as a multi-purpose utensil. Journeymen, miners, laborers and travelers could purchase one and have a single form of cutlery that worked with meats, soups, stews, fruits and vegetables.

Some say the spork is based on the so-called "runcible spoon" from Edward Lear’s "Owl and the Pussycat" rhyme, but this assumption is incorrect. A "runcible spoon" is a nonsense word and, according to Mr. Lear’s drawings, has no fork-like tines at the end. However, some respected authorities — including dictionaries — refer to the runcible spoon as a spoon-fork hybrid.

Early Years

By the late 1800s, both sides of the Atlantic welcomed the manufacture of sporks. England’s Folgate Silver Plate Company manufactured a combination spoon-fork in 1875. In the United States, Samuel W. Francis patented a spoon with fork tines and a sharp edge for cutting. 35 years later, Harry L. McCoy patented something called a "cutting spoon." Several more spork-like cutlery patents appeared during the next 50 years, some with odd shapes consisting of square bowls and extremely long tines, but none of them used the term "spork."

The Modern Spork

According to a New York Times article in 1952, a Pennsylvanian named Hyde W. Ballard attempted to patent the term "spork" for a stainless steel spoon-fork hybrid, but the U.S. Patent Office has no record of Mr. Ballard’s application, and he didn’t invent the term. The word "spork" had been in common use since at least 1900, as evidenced by dictionaries and other references. The Van Brode Milling Company registered the term "spork" in 1970 but eventually let the claim lapse.

An uncertain history hasn’t stopped this beloved hybrid utensil. The modern spork comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, showing up in fast food meals, pre-prepared takeout foods and attached to ice cream novelties.

What the Critics Say

Not everyone loves the spork. Critics claim that spoons are for liquids, forks are for solids, and trying to combine the two is ridiculous. And they’re not all wrong. Sporks are too short to pierce most solid foods and too narrow to hold soup. Yet, somehow, this very awkwardness has given the spork a quirky, renegade element that continues to earn it many fans.

Ideal for canned peaches, fruit cups and grapefruit, the spork can pierce soft solids, scrape the insides of citrus fruits and hold liquids. It’s also widely used as a serving spoon with hors d’oeuvre — perfect for capers and caviar.

Useful, versatile and ubiquitous, the spork continues to endure.