This set of cutlery was given to Baron when he was a baby. It was made in Paris of silver-gilt (silver covered in a thin layer of gold) and so is very grand, appropriately enough for a child born into one of the most wealthy families in Europe at the time. Ferdinand was born in 1839, and the set was probably given to him soon afterwards. Interestingly, it is inscribed in French "To our dear little godson, Ferdinand de Rothschild", which is unusual since the Rothschilds were a Jewish family and so would not have baptised their children.

The set is clearly not designed to be used by a baby – it includes a knife, fork, spoon and beaker, so although it could be used by an older child, the gift is more symbolic than practical. There is a long tradition of mugs and cups being given as christening gifts in Europe, and they are often inscribed, showing the importance of the occasion. Christening presents are also often handed down through families as heirlooms, memorials of ancestors and important symbols of family history. This baby set remained in Ferdinand's family, which is why it is at Waddesdon today.