Salvador Dali Designed This Gorgeous Cutlery Set — Now Even The Replicas Go For $2,000

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Salvador Dali left a lasting impact on painting, fashion, home decor, and even fine dining. The Surrealist artist hosted and attended several grandiose gatherings, so it's not surprising he developed an interest there. In 1957, he designed a cutlery set that — like most of Dali's work — blended reality and dreams to craft a unique vision. Today, that "Ménagère Mollusc" cutlery set is coveted by museums and art collectors to the point that even replicas sell for thousands of dollars. Judging by the prices paid for these sets, it's clear that even though Dali passed nearly 40 years ago, the appeal of the world through his eyes remains. Why else would you want to eat your meal with a fork that looks like a miniature torture device?

Most eating utensils are made from silver, and Dali's set is silver gilt, which involves a gold coating, giving it a rustic, burnished look. The set includes a teaspoon and tablespoon with bowls that look like the purple bracts of artichokes, a three-prong dinner fork with an elephant head, a four-prong fork with a handle shaped like a slender fish, and two knives — one based on a snail, the other leaves. Depending on your view of Surrealism, you may find the set beautiful, or you may be like the Redditor who said, "Honestly, this looks horrible. It's pretty, but functionality is completely thrown out the window." Like them or not, one set sold for £44,000 (about $59,000 U.S. dollars). As for the replicas, one listing includes four of each piece and is available for $2,295. You're better off going to Dollar Tree for your everyday flatware.

One notable event Salvador Dali famously attended but also helped organize and shape was the Rothschilds' Surrealist Ball of 1972. Images documenting the event conjure up visions of the film "Eyes Wide Shut" today, particularly for the film's use of ornate masks and dreamlike costuming (it's quite possible Stanley Kubrick took at least a little inspiration from the ball). Dali's interest in applying his artistic vision to dining can be seen through images and stories of the event, which include hunks of meat made to look unappetizing, plates covered in fur, and even dead fish set at the table as if they were tableware (perhaps a nod back to his 1957 "Ménagère Mollusc" cutlery set). It makes you wonder if you should follow fine dining etiquette and start with the dead fish and work your way in.

Once Dali went from painting to designing products, Surrealism became something you could touch. A few examples are the famous Mae West Lips Sofa and the "Lobster Dress" that came from his collaboration with fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. But perhaps the epitome of Dali's love of food came in 1973 when he published the book "Les Dîners de Gala." This was a cookbook that combined Surrealist visions with actual recipes in a collaboration with his wife Gala; it included meals such as bush of crayfish in Viking herbs and toffee with pine cones. It turns out the beautiful and eerie cutlery set was just the beginning of a culinary journey that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality.