Fork
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Fork. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a well known table instrument. Hay forks and forks used by the cook in turning meat were known from an early date, but table forks are modern. "Fingers were made before forks" is a true proverb. Table forks were unknown to the ancients. Their invention is credited to the Italians, dating from about the time of the discovery of America. Henry VIII, his wives, and their predecessors ate with their fingers. At the end of each course basins and napkins were presented by attendants. Queen Elizabeth was the first English sovereign to become acquainted with the use of the table fork. Even in her reign the fork was a curiosity. We learn that the Countess of Lincoln gave her "a knife and a spoune, and a forke of christall, garnished with golde sleightly, and sparcks of garnets." The Countess of Warwick presented her with "one spoune and forke of golde; the forke garnished with two lyttle rubyes, two lyttle perles pendant, and a lyttle corall." The following quotation is taken from the observations of an Englishman who traveled in Italy during the reign of James I: I observed a custom in all those Italian cities and townes through which I passed, that is not used in any other country that I saw in my travels; neither do I think that any other nation of Christendom doth use it, but only Italy. The Italian and also most strangers do always at their meals use a little forke when they cut their meate. For while with their knife, which they hold in one hand, they cut the meate out of the dish, they fasten the forke, which they hold in their other hand, upon the same dish; so that whatsoever he be that sitting in the company of others at meals, should unadvisedly touch the dish of meate with his fingers, from which all the table doe cut, he will give occasion of offence unto the company, as having transgressed the laws of good manners. This form of feeding, I understand, is generally used in all places of Italy; their forks being for the most part made of yron, steele, and some of silver, but these are used only by gentlemen. For a century or two after the introduction of forks, a gentleman traveler carried his own fork, just as now-a-days he carries his razor or comb. Hotels were unsupplied with forks for general use. The first forks were two-tined. The three-tined forks were considered a great improvement. In this country, as well as abroad, silver for table forks began to take the place of steel about the time of the War of 1812.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
an instrument divided at the end into two or more points or prongs, and used for lifting or pitching anything. The instrument used at table is only about three centuries old. The Greeks, Romans, and other ancient na- 'tions knew nothing of table forks, though they had large forks for hay, and also iron forks for taking meat out of pots. The use of any species of forks at the table was quite unknown till the 15th century, and they were then known only in Italy, which has the merit of this invention. None of the sovereigns of England had forks till after the reign of Henry VIII.; all, high and low, used their fingers. The first royal personage in England who is known to have had a fork was Queen Elizabeth; but it remains doubtful whether she used them on ordinary occasions. As late as the middle of the 17th cen century forks were used in England only by the highest classes. The general use of silver forks in Great Britain cannot be dated farther back than beginning of 19th century. In machinery, a fork is a short piece of steel which fits into one of the sockets or chucks of a lathe, used by wood-turners for carrying round the piece to be turned; it is flattened at the end like a chisel, but has a projecting center point, to prevent the wood from moving laterally.