What Are Those 2 Brass Tools?

scissor tongs

 

Hi,
Look like the sugar tongs for breaking off lumps of sugar from the loaf.
greg

 

Agree with sugar, at least the top pair. I haven't seen sugar scissor/sugar nips like the 2nd set though no doubt they may be. Here are examples of sugar serving pieces from sugar crusher to sugar tongs. Scroll down the page about 1/2 way.

http://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Utensils/ServS2.html

They both seem too utilitarian to be used with a tea service at tea time. They were probably used strictly back in the kitchen as utensils.

--- Susan

 

thanks for the replies. the second one could be coal tongs?

 

RARE UNIQUE ANTIQUE CIVIL WAR BULLET EXTRACTOR WOW!!! L@@K NR

 

No, thanks. I'd rather keep the bullet inside me .
By the way, they don't have a strong grip at all.

 

Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for the word nip. When I was posting, my mind went blank for the word and ended up with tongs. I knew damn well it was sugar nips. I have to remember to drain the coffee pot before I start to type.
greg

 

"Sugar Tongs" in Britain, not 'nips'. Used for picking up sugarlumps (sugar cubes). They would usually have spoon-like ends, though.
These look more like coal tongs - part of fireside companion sets.
What size are they?

 

What, hunhhh - me? *looks around in confusion*

They look like coal tongs to me too...

~Cheryl

 

19th century catalog page with coal tongs and sugar nips (interesting site): http://www.search.revolutionaryplay...=&text=&resource=3436&exhibition=963&offset=8

~Cheryl

 

The second one looks like the thing I used to have that took off the tops ofm Pepsi bottles. (etc.)

 

Hi Cheryl,
I do not blame you for being confused, I should have said Susan. In the kitchen they would have been polished. They were not "grand" enough for the
rest of the house. I would think brass to hold a hot coal would heat up too fast and burn your fingers. It would help to have a size.
greg

 

approx. 8 1/2 and 9 1/4".

 

thanks for the replies. so, most likely coal tongs. I would disagree about the veridigris as an argument for not being sugar tongs. Iron gets rusted, brass and copper are covered in veridigris over the time. All the above metals and alloys had been used for various kind of utensils, vessels, pots, kettles, pitchers etc. Silver and silver plated pieces gets nasty too if not taken good care of. I've seen veredigris on solid silver as well. Not sure how is that possible but I've seen it.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brass-Tongs...0670006?pt=Asian_Antiques&hash=item4ae215f636

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vin...eAntiques_Collectables_EH&hash=item58ba448156

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-An...024?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4624438b20

I believe these to be coal ember tongs....