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ID #SA1239790
FOR SALE
£195
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A Rare Pair of 18th Century Cast Irish Silver Tongs
For sale by Jeff Sims Antiques
for sale €228     $248
£195
Jeff Sims Antiques

Jeff Sims Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2010
Browse dealers 151 items
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    Antique silver, glass, jewellery and object de vertu.
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Id #SA1239790
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A Rare Pair of 18th Century Cast Irish Silver Tongs

18th century
Description

A fabulous pair of mid 18th Century Irish silver tongs. These beautiful tongs are in fully cast silver and the openwork arms are decorated with engraved foliar and floral patterns. The pads are of fluted shell form and the quality is very good.

The Maker's mark is appears to be John Shiels of Dublin - a sought after maker and there are script initials engraved to the bow. A superior pair of early tongs in wonderful condition. Dimensions below.

Postage & Packing £12.00 UK

£20.00 Europe

£26.00 Outside Europe

£50.00 USA (including 10% tariff)

Condition :- Excellent, with no losses or splits.

Hallmarks :- Clear and readable. Part Maker's mark and Irish Harp for Dublin, seated figure of Hibernia. (usual for early tongs)

Date :- Dublin c1760.

Maker :- John Shiels ?

Length :- 14 cms.

Width :- 3.4 cms.

Depth :- 2.3 cms

Physical Dimensions
Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
3.4cm (1.34")
Depth
2.3cm (0.91")
Declaration

Jeff Sims Antiques has dated these Georgian Silver Sugar Tongs to the 1750s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1239790
Dealers Internal Reference
K1769
Dealers Notes

Payment by BANK TRANSFER (preferred),DEBIT/CREDIT CARD, or PAYPAL. Great care is taken with packing and only 'signed for or tracked' postal options are used, where available. In the UK, Royal Mail Special Delivery is used, which is both fully insured against loss or damage and guaranteed next day (excluding weekends). If an item goes missing, or is damaged in the post, all available assistance will be offered to make a claim against the provider. Loss or damage in transit, is NOT the responsibility of the seller.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE. Due to the imposition by some countries of an import tariff - an additional charge may be required to prepay tax duty. Please be aware of this if purchasing from overseas. If this additional charge is not acceptable, please do not proceed with the purchase.

Returns are accepted if the item has undisclosed damage at point of sale, or has been seriously mis-described. Buyer pays all costs. If you are not certain that you will be completely happy with the item, please do not purchase it. Care has been taken to ensure that items are accurately described and photographed - if any further information is required please ask.

PLEASE CONTACT ME TO PROVIDE CARD DETAILS OR REQUEST BANK DETAILS. PLEASE ADD POSTAGE FOR PAYPAL AND PRESS PAYPAL OPTION. If there is anything more we can do to help, please ask. We would like your experience with us to be a happy one and will always try to be accommodating.

Thank you for your interest.

Description
A fabulous pair of mid 18th Century Irish silver tongs.
“
These beautiful tongs are in fully cast silver and the openwork arms are decorated with engraved foliar and floral patterns.
Jeff Sims Antiques

The pads are of fluted shell form and the quality is very good.

fig 1. A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips.
fig 1. A Rare Pair of 18th Century Cast Irish Silver Tongs

The Maker's mark is appears to be John Shiels of Dublin - a sought after maker and there are script initials engraved to the bow. A superior pair of early tongs in wonderful condition. Dimensions below.

fig 2. A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips.
fig 2. A Rare Pair of 18th Century Cast Irish Silver Tongs

Postage & Packing £12.00 UK

£20.00 Europe

£26.00 Outside Europe

£50.00 USA (including 10% tariff)

Condition :- Excellent, with no losses or splits.

Hallmarks :- Clear and readable. Part Maker's mark and Irish Harp for Dublin, seated figure of Hibernia. (usual for early tongs)

Date :- Dublin c1760.

Maker :- John Shiels ?

Length :- 14 cms.

Width :- 3.4 cms.

Depth :- 2.3 cms

Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
3.4cm (1.34")
Depth
2.3cm (0.91")
Date of Manufacture

Jeff Sims Antiques has dated these Georgian Silver Sugar Tongs to the 1750s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1239790
Dealers Internal Ref
K1769
Jeff Sims Antiques
Jeff Sims Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2010

Antique silver, glass, jewellery and object de vertu.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Jeff Sims Antiques Profile Page

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A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips.
1 / 7
Archive I A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips.

A Rare Pair of 18th Century Cast Irish Silver Tongs

Archive II A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips. View II
Archive III A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips. View III
Archive IV A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips. View IV
Archive V A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips. View V
Archive VI A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips. View VI
Archive VII A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips. View VII
Enlarged Archival View
Jeff Sims Antiques

Jeff Sims Antiques
Telephone 07711 373 683
Location
Suffolk,
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/jeffsims
Verified Since Jan 2010
Items For Sale 151
Items Sold 4,490
Jeff Sims Antiques
Jeff Sims Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2010
View Dealer Info
Location: Suffolk,, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/jeffsims
Verified
Jan 2010
For Sale
151
Sold
4,490
A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips.
A rare pair of 18th Century cast Irish silver tongs
Ref: SA1239790
A pair of 18th-century cast silver sugar tongs featuring openwork lattice arms and shell-shaped grips.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectTableware
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialSilver, Sterling Silver
  • ColourSilver
  • MotifsOpenwork lattice, Shell grips, U-shaped bow
  • SizeH 14 cm (6 in) x W 3.4 cm (1 in) x D 2.3 cm (1 in)

These mid 18th-century cast Irish silver sugar tongs represent Georgian tableware. The silver piece has a U-shaped bow featuring engraved script initials, openwork lattice arms decorated with engraved foliar and floral patterns, and fluted shell-shaped grips at the ends. Hallmarks include a part maker's mark attributed to John Shiels of Dublin, the Irish Harp for Dublin, and the seated figure of Hibernia. The object measures 14 cm high, 3.4 cm wide, and 2.3 cm deep. In a contemporary home, this item finds a functional and decorative place on a sideboard top for serving sugar during tea service. The polished silver surface reflects light from surrounding interiors, while the intricate openwork and shell terminals provide visual texture on a dining room display surface.

FAQs

In the 18th century, sugar was produced in solid blocks or loaves rather than granulated form, requiring sugar nips or tongs to break and serve individual portions during formal tea gatherings.

Georgian cast silver tongs were produced by pouring molten metal into detailed moulds to create decorative openwork arms, which were subsequently joined to a flexible bow or pivot.

Authentic Irish silver tongs from this era feature Dublin hallmark stamps, including the crowned harp and Hibernia mark, along with maker marks and characteristic openwork or shell-form nips.

These historical silver items can be styled inside a glass display cabinet, displayed on a dining tray, or incorporated into a bar cart set-up alongside contemporary glassware.

Silver tongs should be cleaned gently using a soft cotton cloth and non-abrasive silver polish to maintain their surface details. Storing the piece in an anti-tarnish cloth pouch helps restrict oxidisation.
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