Sugar tongs - sliver or plate?

[lupitt]

Hello again!

Can anyone tell me if the tongs pictured are silverplate or silver? I think they're plated but have no idea what the marks mean - I'm sure there will be someone out there who can help.

Many, many thanks and again, apologies for the 'yellow' images!

Lucy

[2209patrick]

Hi Lucy.

Believe your tongs are close plated by William Briggs of Sheffield England.
http://www.925-1000.com/silverglossary2.html



By 1875 the firm was called William Briggs & Company and was producing electroplated wares.
http://www.925-1000.com/silverplate_B.html

Pat.

[dragonflywink]

Pat, I'm curious, do any of your references mention close-plating being done on anything other than iron or steel. Years ago, I knew a British dealer who specialized in OSP and also had a few close plate pieces (mostly knives and skewers), can remember him telling me that a magnet would identify them, though most show some deterioration of the plating. Perhaps that was just anecdotal, or the knives and skewers were steel for strength?

~Cheryl

[2209patrick]

Hi Cheryl.

While there was no reason close plating could not be done on other metals, it was more
cost effective to use sheets of Sheffield plate (fused plate) when possible.
Close plating was a slow, labor intensive process.

Close plating was applied to a limited range of small articles of steel requiring strength
and/or sharp ponts such as buckles, spurs, snuffers, skewers, lobster picks, fish
slices, pickle forks and blades of dessert knives. Edged serving and eating items
were close plated because some foods could ruin the base metal with acids, etc.

I agree with your British dealer. Close plating was done on iron and steel.
Here's a quote from G. Bernard Hughes' book "Sheffield Silver Plate".
"Small mastermen and their employees in this trade (close plating) were known as 'Platers on steel'"

Pat..

[lupitt]

Thank you very much for your help.

[lupitt]

Just a thought, and please forgive my ingnorance, can the tongs be dated to 1823?

Many thanks once again - this forum and it's members are marvelous!

Lucy

[dognose]

Hi Lucy,

1823 would have the earliest date for your tongs, the latest date would be maybe the mid 1840's.

Close plating had been around since the 1780's but became outdated following Elkington's invention of electro plating in 1840.

See: viewtopic.php?t=12627

Trev.

[dragonflywink]

If Briggs was using the mark shown from 1823 and didn't start using the mark on the link until 1875, perhaps the older mark was also used on the earlier electroplate ware?

~Cheryl

[2209patrick]

Some manufacturers changed their fused plate marks only slightly when they first switched to electroplating.
Don't know if any continued to use the same mark after the changeover.

Pat.