Are these ice tongs?

I found these rattling inside of a silver plated pitcher. Are they ice tongs? Does anyone recognize the maker?

 

The maker is Schmitz, Moore and Co. of Newark, New Jersey. Listed in the Jeweler's Circular in 1915 and succeeded by abt 1922 by Moore and Hofman.

 

BTW, Rainwater says they were makers of sterling "dresserware."

 

I doubt that ice tongs would have such smooth ends. The ice would slip out too easily. How this might have been used in a dresser set eludes me.

 

Sugar cubes??

 

Here's a link to a mark reference.

http://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Silversmiths/SSS3.html

 

They're kind of tiny for anything table related. Maybe for picking cotton balls out of jar or some similar activity. If they had made tableware I think Rainwater would have mentioned it.

 

Sugar cubes the internet consensus.

Debora

 

teehee Maybe the internet has no imagination.

 

When they spring back open, guessing they look like a wishbone, something like this?

 

Just got around to checking Rainwater's entry on the succeeding entity - Moore and Hofman. Now there is a longer list of product types - including tableware and "novelties." But a different mark. MH in a block font and conjoined.

 

I think it’s going to be a “mini silver” day

 

No luck on the 3 initial mark - as either solid silver or silverplated. But that ding on the left side of the bowl does not bode well for solid silver anyway.

I don't see any tarnish. Did you clean it before taking the picture? What does the back of the bowl look like?

 

Well, the sugar tongs are my initals.......albeit out of order!!!!!!!!

 

I haven’t cleaned the spoon yet. I didn’t have luck yet on the maker either. My guess is early american coin. I’ll test it tonight, but it’s nice and bendy so we will see.

 

Good luck with that. I seriously doubt it, but if it is, good on you!

 

Wishbone novelty sugar tongs...

~Cheryl

 

You could definitely be correct but i’m curious why the high degree of doubt? I’ve found old silver with green on it and not much tarnish.

 

Or bon-bons, or lemon wedges - 1908 retailer's advertisement:



~Cheryl

 

Cheryl you are awesome!