Odd bowl on English Sugar Tongs of c 1780

[buckler]

A fairly standard pair of bright cut tongs of the pre-duty period . Arms slimmer than usual, and the bow curvature greater, rather like most Bateman tongs. Maker WT , wth Lion Passant which could be provincial, perhaps Exeter.

The bowls are, as far as I know, unique. My initial though was a Victorian or later alteration, but from a close examination the holes appear to have been cut during the original making as an afterthought.

Perhaps intended to pick a object ( olive ?) from a liquid.
As I've never seen another, of any period, I'm totally clueless !





All suggestion, however vulgar, invited

[Qrt.S]

First of all, you could have showed the whole tong and not only the ends and not to mention showing the marks too! Secondly, I think that it is an ordinary sugar tong and not even an uncommon one. See some tongs from my collection. The ends are almost similar even if they don't have a hole. The holes are called "design" :-))))