www.925-1000.com

I agree with dognose - definitely Dublin (from the style of the tongs), and dated between 1793 and 1807

Regards
.

Hi, Jonathan Bateman did not make anything with just the mark "IB". The Batemans at that time were Peter & Jonathan, so you will only see PB IB marks - and there are several of them. IB is a very common mark for the period. I would suggest the most likely is John Blake, but others may ...

Hi, The maker's mark could be Thomas Wallis II - but I tend to think not, as there are too many curly bits for any mark of his that I have seen & the small bar across the vertical part of the "T" suggests it may actually be an "F" The "PM" mark to the right is anoth...

Hi, Lovely pair of tongs - you do come up with some interesting ones sometimes. I would make a couple of points: 1. I think you are right in that short cast tongs are rare - but they are not unknown. There is a pair floating around that are potentially by Hester. Also, see Lot 432 of the 28th Januar...

Hi, my guess would be either George Burrows (II) or George Brasier. Unfortunately there were several makers around at that time with the "GB" mark so we cannot be sure. Date will be pre-1784, but hard to pin down any closer than that without a good picture of the overall item. If you have ...

Hi, Script "IS" makers marks on sugar tongs are a real problem (as are all "IS" marks - there's just so many of them!). I have seen a few & they are not all the same, but they are all very difficult to be certain about. As for John Swift, there seems to be a bit of confusion ...

Hi, Lovely pair of tongs. I certainly go along with Scottish Provincial, and Greenock. Unfortunately I can't find a maker "LN" . Could it be anything else? Also I find the date 1770 a bit curious, I would tend to go for more like 1790 for these tongs, 1770 just seems to be that little bit ...

Hi Rat-Tail,
just spotted your tongs. They are superb, a lovely example of Cork sugar tongs. I am very jealous!! Just for the record, I concur with your estimate of the date c1785 - 1795.

Regards
Graham
.

Hi all,

Almost certainly John Lias. We know that the Lias brothers made a lot of sugar tongs & we know nothing of any of the other "IL" maker's marks around this time. I therefore disagree a little with Buckler - I think it is close to 99% sure.

Regards
.

Hi Mike,

The attached picture shows 4 separate pictures of the maker's mark - in different lights etc.



Hope you can come up with the answer!

Regards
.

Hi all, Can anyone help with these tongs. I'm stumped! From the style etc. I would date them at c1780 - 1784, probably London but possibly Newcastle or Exeter. All ideas welcome http://www.silversugartongs.com:80/IHO80291008.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.silversugarto...

Hi,

Do you think it might be George Ferris of Exeter, although I have to say I have only ever seen his mark in two circles.

Regards
.

In reply to my own question - John Jones & John Chadwick were registered as Buckle-makers with their mark registered on 30th May 1775. Grimwade also points out that their mark was in a rectangular punch "with curved top". In the biographies Grimwade also indicates about John Jones II &...

Hi, Can anyone help me with identifying the maker of these sugar tongs. They appear perfectly genuine, cast in 3 parts, London made, c1775. The maker's mark is unusual in being apparently in an "upside down" shield. Any help gratefully received. Many Thanks http://www.silversugartongs.com/...

Hi,

For what its worth, I agree with Ganmaa - that Lion looks dreadful - and like "georgiansilver" I also think the proprtions are wrong - has the smell of a fake to me!
.

Hi all (again), Would just like to add some controversy to this one. I have recently been doing some study of these early Exeter marks. I would agree with Buckler's general comment that Exeter could well have been using a variety of Lion Passants, all at the same time, but I have been trying to pin ...

Hi all, I've been away for a few days so have missed this little exchange. The "untangling" of the range of Exeter punches around this time is a problem, but from my own collection of tongs, I tend to go for this particular combination of oval Lion & oval duty mark as around 1806 - tha...

Hi Alain,

nearly right!

hallmark dates them between 30th May 1786 (when the incuse duty mark was replaced) and 30th May 1791 when the date letter "q" was introduced.

nice tongs by the way.

Regards
.

Hi,

I think it may be Samuel Weir, Apprenticed in 1817, Freedom 1847. Dates do seem a bit odd - a 30 year Apprenticeship? See Dietert "The Edinburg Goldsmiths" page 96.
.

Hi, I've had a good look at these tongs & they are quite an unusual style. The join between the arms and the bowls is not something I've seen before. As far as date is concerned, I would certainly place them at around 1775 - 1780 - not too much earlier than that. 1773 is just possible, but pushi...