Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

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silverly
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Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by silverly »

Anybody recognize this mark by an chance. The same mark is in both spoon bowls, and there are no hallmarks.

Image

This is not the first site that these tongs have been shown on, so they may look familiar to some. Thank you in advance.
spobby
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by spobby »

Robert Williams from Bristol possibly?
Regards
John
silverly
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by silverly »

Thank you. I'll do what I can to follow up on your suggestion, and any help in that regard is most welcome.
Granmaa
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by Granmaa »

I can't suggest a candidate, but I don't think Robert Williams is likely. He was working in the 1830s and 1840s, whereas these tongs look late 18th century.

If pushed I would guess, because of the engraving, that they weren't made in Britain.

Miles
spobby
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by spobby »

I would agree really.
However, either way, I found a charming piece relating to Williams & the Bristol riots.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oPQB ... ol&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this links correctly
Regards
John
silverly
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by silverly »

I first took these tongs to possibly be American because of the decoration, but that is unconfirmed. So because of their style, I thought I would try the old UK on an off chance. Thank you both for your inputs.
silverly
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by silverly »

It seemed like it might be worthwhile to give these tongs another try. Is there anything significant about the makers mark being in the bowls?
SilverSurfer
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by SilverSurfer »

Robert Wilson, New York, 1805? Of his three marks in Ensko IV, the one on the rectangular field is in the ballpark, the R is okay, the W not so much.
silverly
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by silverly »

Thank you SilverSurfer. I will try to follow up on Robert Wilson any way I can.
silverly
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by silverly »

Just giving this item a bump.
Aguest
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Re: Corn Plant Decorated Tongs RW

Post by Aguest »

I love tongs with hallmarks inside the bowl. I don't have much else to add but it seems like an American homage to English Georgian style tongs. The corn motif is in place of the traditional English bright-cut design. I once found a pair of French tongs from the first empire circa 1800 that was an amazing copy of an English Georgian style tongs. I hope the maker is found.
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