Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts
NFS - Interesting Twist-Arm Sugar Tongs Circa 1790-1810 Marked SR
This piece is not for sale, but help me solve the mystery of who made this piece, and I will send you a very nice coin silver spoon in thanks! These twist-arm American coin silver sugar tongs measure about 7 1/8 inches in length and weigh about 49 grams. The maker's mark is a fairly crude SR in a serrated punch. Please take a look at all the pictures. The engraved arms and circular reserve might indicate a Western Pennsylvania or Midwestern, or perhaps Shenandoah Valley origin, but so far I've not found any good candidates. However, it is highly unlikely that this pair was made in a larger city like New York or Philadelphia. All theories are welcomed, but only a definitive attribution with support wins the spoon!