Antique sterling silver sugar tongs by Wallace & Sons in the popular Washington pattern (c. 1911). These delicate antique sterling sugar tongs have an elegant design down each side, culminating into a five prong claw. Never monogrammed!
Sugar tongs were introduced in the 1690's and resembled steel ember tongs. A typical patterns was made with a wide horseshoe-shaped bow of springy silver linking a pair of slender round arms with wide, escallop-shell grips. The arms might be double or treble knopped at the ends and centre, but the whole design was essentially delicate, intended for lifting the tiny fragments of sugar suited to the small tea-cups of the period. (Small Antique Silverware)
Tongs come in various sizes and shapes, from the tiny bonbon tongs to extra large sandwich tongs and asparagus tongs. Very old, scissor-shaped tongs were called sugar nips and were used for nipping off a piece from a large lump of sugar.
This pair of sugar tongs are marked RW&S with a stag head and STERLING as shown. These sterling silver sugar tongs measure 4" in length and weigh 18 grams. Excellent condition! You can read more about the history of Wallace & Sons from our Silver Manufacturers pages.
A1406 - Antique WALLACE & SONS Sterling Silver Sugar Tongs Washington (c. 1911)
$18.00 First Class Mail
