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Antique Silver Sugar Tongs - Colonial or Provincial
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Reference: S1158
Period: George III
Year: Circa 1810
Silversmith: TH
Place: Possibly Clonmel, Ireland
Price: $ 340.00
Weight: 92 grams
Dimensions: 15.7 cm
Condition: Excellent.
Description: An unusual pair of Fiddle pattern silver sugar tongs, with crude rounded shell grips. The pair is unusually large and heavy, and has flared and shaped arms, and a strong rounded bow. They are quite plain, with no monograms or decoration, besides the shape and shell grips. They are unusual, very unlike any of the sugartongs depicted in "Georgian Silver Sugar Tongs" by Graham Hodges, leading us to believe they are Colonial or Provincial. The only hallmarks are makers mark TH struck twice (once on each arm), the hallmarks are clear. The T is well cut, but the H is fat and less well defined in the punch. There appears to be a faint device between the letters, but this could be an imperfection in the punch. We have been unable to identify any Colonial makers with initials TH (but suggestions welcome!). However, one possible candidate for the TH makers mark is Theophilus Harvey of Clonmel, Tipperary, Ireland, circa 1810. A fish server by Harvey, with only the TH makers mark in rectangular punch, is pictured in an article entitled "Some Misidentified Munster Goldsmiths", by Conor O'Brien, Silver Society Journal 13, 2001, page 32. O'Brien notes that several Clonmel based goldsmiths registered with the Dublin Goldsmiths Company between 1784 and 1815, including Harvey. Harvey submitted a parcel of silver for assay at Dublin in 1815, the TH makers mark is recorded in the Dublin assay office. These tongs need further investigation.
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Colonial sugartongs
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Scale
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Detail
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Hallmark
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