posted 02-26-2012 12:26 PM            

I bought these sweet little unmarked scissors-form tea tongs as silverplate, but I'm confident they're solid silver.

Any idea when and where they may have been made?

Of course, I would love them to be 18th century. But the oval finger rings, the simplicity of the form, and the paw-like shell-shaped ends--rather than fan-like shell-shaped ends--are making me think they're later. Am I right? How much later?

posted 02-27-2012 08:01 AM            

I can only speak from a little knowledge of English tongs. I agree with you that these are unlike the scissor action tongs that were the fashion in England up to the 1770s when bow tongs took over. Nor do they look to me like what I would expect from a Victorian or later revival of the form.

They seem to me possibly to be a simplified provincial version of 18th century tongs, post 1770 but pre-Victorian.

I wonder whether the engraved decoration gives us a clue? This style of engraving is not found on flatware or tongs of the 1770s or earlier, but might the tongs have been made to go with a set of bright cut teaspoons of c.1800? Just a thought.

posted 02-27-2012 11:39 AM            

Dear Polly

Nice to hear from you - what a very pretty pair of Tea Tongs you have found!

You have set me a really tough question as I have never seen a pair like this before, however here are my thoughts based on the premise that they are, indeed, silver and that I have not handled them.

They are obviously made by a good goldsmith - a lot of care has been taken with the design and decoration, and they are very well cast.

My initial impression is that they are Scandinavian - the overall design hints at this - but it is hard to be sure without any marks at all.

The engraving is in the form of late eighteenth century bright cut decoration and is delightful and quite feminine - Hester Bateman, the famous female goldsmith from the last quarter of the eighteenth century favored this decoration.

The grips are hinting at the early shell form but are quite modern in feel - somewhat like the silver of the modern goldsmith George Jensen.

On balance, I believe that they might be a rare find of late eighteenth century Scandinavian Tea Tongs and, as such, are highly desirable.

Let's hope that this is the start of a Tea Tong collection.

Kind regards

David
Dr David Shlosberg

posted 02-27-2012 03:00 PM            

The number of lobes on all the shell patterned grips in these books all exceed five and for the most part are rather docile in appearance. Good find.

posted 02-27-2012 06:32 PM            

If you don't fancy sweetening your black tea, why not take up champagne cocktails and use your tongs for the constituent sugar cubes?

Oh, on second thoughts, maybe not. It may lead you into also collecting silver swizzle sticks to stir the concoction.