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DESCRIPTION Interesting pair of English Georgian solid sterling silver transitional sugar tongs with beautiful engraved decoration and a monogram engraving to the bow. The cast silver sugar nips with a central hinge fell out of fashion in the 1770s in favour of the bow form of sugar tongs. Initially cast in three sections, two arms and a bow, and wonderfully decorated with cast piercings and engraving a design flaw was soon apparent. Cast silver is rigid and does not give the required spring for bow action tongs. They all broke very quickly and the intricate decorations made repairs difficult and expensive. Very quickly it was realised that if you made the designs a little plainer, casting was not necessary. This pair of tongs still have the three section construction required by casting but are not cast and are fully sprung.
SILVERSMITH Charles Hougham
DATE or HALLMARK This style of tongs was almost never dated, just simply marked with maker's and lion passant close or over each of the solder joints. However, the construction gives us an accurate date to just a few years around 1775.
ASSAY OFFICE London
WEIGHT in GRAMS 37
LENGTH 5 ½", 142mm
SILVER STANDARD ·925 sterling silver
CONDITION excellent, and beautifully engraved in a wonderful range of styles

Price £48
SOLD
item number: m7536
Available Sugar Tongs
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