The rib, common to the Hanoverian, is lost and the forks almost always have four tines. This pattern, like the Hanoverian, is generally lighter in weight than the patterns which became popular in the early nineteenth century. The Old English pattern has been made continuously in England since 1770 and has been copied by many American manufacturers. The most prolific silversmiths of the period producing Old English flatware included George Smith and William Fearn, Hester Bateman, and the partnership of Eley, Fearn and Chawner. The dessert fork and spoon are similar in size to the luncheon fork in modem American flatware.
Many flatware services appear for sale without the teaspoon.
The explanation for this is that until relatively late the teaspoon was not used at the English table. Tea and coffee were served at different times and therefore, at least until 1830, teaspoons were generally not associated with a table setting. It was not until the nineteenth century that highly specialized table silver such as grapefruit spoons, ice cream spoons, fish forks, and the like began to appear. This occurred when silver bullion was in greater abundance and flatware services were available to a larger segment of the population. The great prosperity in England in the nineteenth century led to grander entertainment, more lavish meals, and more elaborate table settings.