A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE SILVER
AND OBJECTS OF VERTU

Georgian silver tea tongs (sugar tongs, sugar nips) - England





silver tea tongs The tea tongs (called also sugar tongs or sugar nips) were used for lifting sugar pieces added to tea cups. About 1720 this artefacts assumed a scissors shape, succeeded after 1770 by more functional bow type tongs.
This pair of plain and simple fashion tea tongs have tapering shafts, C scroll arms, simple scallop grips and are monogrammed I and P on the ring cushions.
They have the 'lion passant' of the shape in use between 1750-1755, while silversmith's marks are partly rubbed (maybe WH into a rectangular punch). Uncommonly the marks are placed inside the grips (usually they were on the finger rings).
These tea tongs are 4 1/3 in. long (cm. 11,1), weigh 1.09 oz (31 gr.) and were bought from an US dealer through the Internet.

silver tea tongs tea tongs hinge
silver tea tongs tea tongs scallop grips
silver tea tongs tea tongs grip and shaft
silver tea tongs silver tea tongs
two silver tea tongs silver tea tongs
tea tongs silver hallmarks tea tongs silver hallmarks
Most of informations about tea tongs were obtained by Dr. David Shlosberg's book 'Eighteenth Century Silver Tea Tongs'
A wide article about tea tongs and informations on this book are available on ASCAS Association of Small Collectors of Antique Silver website

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