I’m still shifting through the shoe box of silver and plated ware.
I have three pairs of prongs, this one being the most interesting so far.
The hallmark is very worn, there is a Lion beneath a bust of some one.
Is it possible to date it from the format of the hallmark or the design of the prongs, see photos.
Do I polish or leave well alone ?
Freddy
Nr. King’s Lynn ,Norfolk, England
The 2 marks on your tongs (not “prongs”) are a duty mark and a lion passant, the latter being the assay office’s guarantee of sterling silver. Although I am a little bit dubious about the lion not looking quite as it should, it could very well be the product of 200+ years of polishing and general wear. I believe that the duty mark is a George III mark which would date the tongs from when this form of mark was introduced in 1786 through until about 1825. Silver would normally also have a town mark and a date mark but these were frequently omitted on smaller items at this period. Also missing is a maker’s mark which is also occasionally omitted although really should have been there.
About all I can say is that the lion passant mark (assuming once again that it is correct) is not of the right shape for London but would be right for one of the provincial assay offices, either Exeter or Newcastle, but without a town mark or a maker’s mark it is not possible to say which one.
The engraved initials on the curve are most likely the initials of a newly married couple to whom the tongs were presented.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1172386985/georgian-bright-cut-sterling-silver
Maybe Richard Ferris of Exeter? UK early 1800s silver sugar tongs hallmarked Richard Ferris (Exeter) - Chadbourne Antiques & Collectibles
Exeter because two sets of initials — more a west country thing than Tyneside.
c.1800 because things got fancy after that.
So based on the next most prolific tong man to Ferris who went for plain bright cut its probably Richard Jenkins who seemed to position or to have the guild position the duty mark and the sterling lion right tight to each other and then leave space for everything else if he put it there at all.
As always I am grateful for the scholarship of Phil Osborn and [email protected]. who did all the hard work to permit this slightly informed but still highly speculative assumption.
I keep collecting these delightful items although with a drawerful of them and nary a pack of lumped sugar in the house I have no idea what for.
The best story I heard about use was the solution a young bride moving into a large home with one of those gents water closets off the hallway. The sort of place where the water coming out of the tap was exhausted and cold by the time it got there and everybody fled in any out of after a morning’s game shooting and before the lunch gong rang.
She found a convenient hook and hung them up next to the lavatory. A tacit acknowledgment cold water hand rinsing was probably of limited value.
CRWW
