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Hi,

Yes - definitely Frances Stamp & as Trev says , a rare mark. There is a picture of another pair of tongs by her on my web-site, but these are not cast tongs.

Regards
Graham

Hi Clive, Thanks for that, definitely a possibility. I did have my suspicions it might be a Chester Lion (still not actually convinced) but there is so little Chester work around from that period it is difficult to be very sure. I'll await any further responses before plumping for anything. hopefull...

Hi all, hope you can help. I recently bought these tongs & can't identify them. I'm not sure of either the Lion or the maker's mark. anyone any ideas? http://www.silversugartongs.com/PPX70240112%20small.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.silversugartongs.com/...

Hi, Curiously, I have also discovered that I have another pair of tongs by the same maker (William Sumner), with a double dot beside the hallmark. Given that these are both by the same maker, it would tend to suggest a journeyman's mark, although why punch them on the other arm I don't know? http://...

Hi, Does anyone know what this mark may be? I would normally assume a journeyman's mark but they would tend to be found struck near the maker's mark. It is curious that this mark is right between the Lion & Duty mark. Is it potentially a mark struck by the assay office? If so to what purpose? Th...

Hi guys, I have two pairs of "IT" tongs on the web-site, one of which is definitely pre-1784 & the other 1786-90. There is no pellet on either of those marks, and the later pair's mark looks a bit like this one. I think I would go with John Tweedie, there's not really a sensible altern...

Another possibility is Exeter. Trowbridge & Ashford sent in some early tongs as did "Ashford & Co." Their names were Francis Trowbridge & William Ashford, but it is conceivable they used "TA" as their mark I suppose but I don't know what their mark looked like as I ha...

Hi guys,

how about Thomas Allen of Sheffield. He registered two marks, a normal one and an incuse one, but I would expect to see other hallmarks??

Regards
.

Hi Miles, A lovely pair of tongs. I'm with Clive on these, I don't think the repair matters - they are still gorgeous. As to where they were made, thats interesting. There is definitely a possibility of Irish origin, the concavity of the arms helps lead to that conclusion, there are some similaritie...

Hi Miles, Have a look at http://www.silversugartongs.com/edinburgh/Alexander%20Gairdner/AG1785a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Whilst I may be wrong, I have attributed this mark to Alexander Gairdner. As with Mike, I am not sure how I arrived at this conclusion!! Regard...

Hi all, Sorry I've not been looking at the site for a long time. I can't find any sign of a "J.W" or "M.P" making buckles in Exeter around this time. A possibility is a distorted "J.H" for Joseph Hicks. He was very active around this period. Trouble is I can't find any ...

Hi, I tend to attribute this mark to Thomas Tookey. 1781/82 is fine for date. I have a number of pairs of tongs on my web-site, with several different "TT" maker's marks. We know he registered more than one style of mark & he is really the only logical culprit. The mark does come up re...

Hi, John Tincombe sent in tongs for assay at Exeter in 1781/82 and 1782/83. This date would fit with the style of the tongs. He did not make very many & his work is therefore rare (24 pairs in 1781/82 and 66 in 1782/83). I can't think of anyone else it could be. John Tincombe is the only one I k...

Hi Clive, trouble is its only guess-work. The mark is just not quite good enough to be certain. Without a maker's mark you just can never be certain. I'd also ask whether there were any makers making sugar nips out of Chester at around that time. Does David Shlosberg have a view? Certainly sugar ton...

Hi,

McGrew's "Manufacturers' marks on American Coin Silver" shows this mark on page 49 - the complete hallmark, "P, Hibernia, Harp, Bust". He attributes it to Noah Stoddard working between 1826 & 1847, watchmaker & jeweller - New York City.

Regards
.

Hi, Well, that's a good question. There is no doubt that this style came out fairly early, around the same time or slightly later than cast tongs, which followed the scissor style sugar nips. Proper rolled silver only really came out around 1775 onwards (with the invention of the rolling mills) from...

Hi Frank, Yes, 1775 is about right - possibly a little earlier but not much. Nigel is quite correct they were made as a single piece. The concavity aimed at lending strength to the flimsy silver. The lion is a bit of a problem, especially as it is so blurred. I think they are London - the style &...

Hi,

Definitely Chester 1732, but I'm afraid I can't identify the maker.
Regards
.

My view is Thomas Hemming - does anyone know for sure whether he was still sending work for assay this late?

Regards
.

Hi all, just for interest, George Smith III used several different script marks. I have a page on my web-site with some of them, with approximate dates. Also Goldsmiths Hall have a record of lots of forged makers marks from articles they have seized. Among them is the script "GS" - seen on...