Can't give you much info on the fork....it's not sterling, of course....may not even be silver at all. I have various bits and pieces of flatware which are things like German silver ( which isn't silver) and even what appears to be aluminum.
The cork is the stopper from what probably was a whiskey jug or vinegar jug. The ladle is a condiment ladle and at one time probably had a dish in a matching pattern.
Linda C

The fork is silverplate, indicated by the '90', & probably from Holland, per the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: SMPublishing forum

That doesn't look like cork, it looks wooden from the photograph, anyway. My guess would be an old bung plug for a barrel. Probably got stuck at one time and somebody drilled it out so they could yank it, because the gunk in the middle looks like filler. How deep is it?

I've seen a few jugs with wooden "corks"....But given the writing, a bung plug does make more sense.

It's a bung, like I figured. Only it's a specific type of bung, it's a fermentation bung. Since it had a patent number on it, knew it had to be some kind of special bung, and not just a barrel plug. I found the patent description and drawing. Or at least one of them. It is indeed granted to Fischer #1545824 the correct spelling would have helped. It has indeed had the middle puttied up, because that's where the gas relief tube would have fit. It was patented in 1923. Could not find the first patent, sure you got it right?

Calliope. thanks so much for the unformation. as best as I can tell the # reads 1477352. again tks.