Lancashire Pattern Asparagus Tongs, 1837

Lancashire Fusiliers Silver Asparagus tongs London 1837
Lancashire Fusiliers Silver Asparagus tongs London 1837 DSCN8222 DSCN8223 DSCN8224 DSCN8225 DSCN8226

£550.00

Asparagus Tongs - Lancashire pattern - London 1837 by Benoni Stephens - 25.5cm long; 213g - F3005c

This is a superb quality and extremely rare pair of regimental silver asparagus tongs. Made in the Lancashire pattern, they bear crisp decoration and have sprung arms with pierced blades for straining the asparagus. As with all high quality asparagus servers, the central restrainer bar prevents over-stretching.

These serving tongs could be used for other purposes too and this early Victorian pair remain in excellent condition.

This pattern was made exclusively for the 20th Regiment of Foot, later Lancashire Fusiliers, and as such we have named it Lancashire Pattern. The pattern has been made with dies that include the regimental badge being struck to the terminals. It is an extremely rare pattern and prior to the batch we currently have in stock, we have never previously encountered a single piece.

The double-struck nature of the pattern (i.e. pattern on both sides) ensures that a good gauge of silver was used in manufacture and these serving tongs therefore have a hefty feel in the hand.

Provenance

These silver asparagus servers bear the gartered crest and motto of the 20th Regiment of Foot. The motto reads: “Omnia Audax” (Daring in all things). Following the Childers Reforms of 1881, the regiment became known as the Lancashire Fusiliers and was based at the Wellington Barracks in Bury. The Lancashire pattern service was originally used in the officer’s mess.