Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

[silverly]

Anybody recognize this mark by an chance. The same mark is in both spoon bowls, and there are no hallmarks.



This is not the first site that these tongs have been shown on, so they may look familiar to some. Thank you in advance.

[spobby]

Robert Williams from Bristol possibly?
Regards
John

[silverly]

Thank you. I'll do what I can to follow up on your suggestion, and any help in that regard is most welcome.

[Granmaa]

I can't suggest a candidate, but I don't think Robert Williams is likely. He was working in the 1830s and 1840s, whereas these tongs look late 18th century.

If pushed I would guess, because of the engraving, that they weren't made in Britain.

Miles

[spobby]

I would agree really.
However, either way, I found a charming piece relating to Williams & the Bristol riots.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oPQB ... ol&f=false

Hope this links correctly
Regards
John

[silverly]

I first took these tongs to possibly be American because of the decoration, but that is unconfirmed. So because of their style, I thought I would try the old UK on an off chance. Thank you both for your inputs.

[silverly]

It seemed like it might be worthwhile to give these tongs another try. Is there anything significant about the makers mark being in the bowls?

[SilverSurfer]

Robert Wilson, New York, 1805? Of his three marks in Ensko IV, the one on the rectangular field is in the ballpark, the R is okay, the W not so much.

[silverly]

Thank you SilverSurfer. I will try to follow up on Robert Wilson any way I can.

[silverly]

Just giving this item a bump.

[Aguest]

I love tongs with hallmarks inside the bowl. I don't have much else to add but it seems like an American homage to English Georgian style tongs. The corn motif is in place of the traditional English bright-cut design. I once found a pair of French tongs from the first empire circa 1800 that was an amazing copy of an English Georgian style tongs. I hope the maker is found.