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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 American Silver before sterling
 Interesting Sugar Tongs
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| Author | Topic: Interesting Sugar Tongs |
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argentum1 Posts: 602 |
posted 08-28-2008 10:46 PM
  
I bought these simply because the nips were very interesting to me. Let me know what you think. Silversmith is Hugh Wishart. IP: Logged |
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FredZ Posts: 1070 |
posted 08-29-2008 12:14 AM
They certainly are unusual and perhaps even unique. I have never seen stepped rectangular bowls for anything this early or for much of anything for that matter. I wonder if these were unique to Wishart. Thanks for sharing them. Best, IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 08-29-2008 02:33 AM
Are we quite certain that the bowls are original ? It certainly looks as if the tongs were made in three pieces, although I think this would have been the case even if made with bowls this shape ab initio IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 08-29-2008 12:27 PM
I wondered the same thing. In my experience American spring tongs of this early style (c. 1800 +/- 15 years) were generally forged in one piece, unless the bows or arms were cast. Later ones with cast grips have them attached; formed grips were generally made in swages used for salt spoons. The only ones with forged grips that were soldered which I have encountered were obvious replacements. The grips on this piece look forged rather than cast (as much as one can tell from a photograph), so I would look closely for a solder joint. Wishart has made both conventional and nonconventional styles, so in spite of their unusual shape I would not dismiss the possibility that the grips might be original. IP: Logged |
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argentum1 Posts: 602 |
posted 08-29-2008 03:27 PM
As soon as they arrive I will have a look through a 40x stereoscopic scope. The images are not high resolution so enlarging/sharpening is of little use. If the tips are replacements it will not be the first time my 'O'my gosh would you look at that' has gotten the better of me. I will post images when they get here. IP: Logged |
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argentum1 Posts: 602 |
posted 09-04-2008 01:26 PM
Enlargements of end of tongs. I see no joint in the images nor under 40x scope. Fourth photo down has what appears to be a joint line but is actually a light scratch line. IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 09-04-2008 02:05 PM
Certainly no joint at the bowls, but please examine the arms at the point where the brightcut decoration ends rather abruptly (about half way down) . If there's no joint there, then the discontinuity is another surprising feature. They really are a marvellous pair IP: Logged |
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argentum1 Posts: 602 |
posted 09-04-2008 04:19 PM
No joints found anyplace Clive. If you are familiar with how silversmiths raise the bowl away from the shaft, there is a indented round area that indicates this operation. See photo number four. I will try to post an image which will show this more clearly. Reflectance of silver is not allowing me to get a decent shot. Anyway my point is that if the bowl were cast this operation could not have been accomplished without fracturing the cast silver. This is the operation I am speaking of IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 09-04-2008 07:20 PM
I don't think there now can be any doubt that the tongs are original. Nice find. Here is another of his objects that will attest to his originality (posted sometime last year in another thread that I couldn't search up) IP: Logged |
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argentum1 Posts: 602 |
posted 09-05-2008 12:06 AM
Wishart seems to have had a knack for elegant simplicity. Nice teapot. I much perfer the clean lines versus all the embellishments of Victoriana. IP: Logged |
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