Rare Irish Sugar Tongs, Limerick c1790
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Sugar Tongs - Bright-cut star - Limerick circa 1790 by John Purcell Dimensions: 170mm; 48g weight - Ref. No.: SW/8932
An extremely rare pair of Irish provincial sugar tongs in superb condition. These tongs are in the quintessential Irish flatware pattern - Bright-cut Star - and bear original engraved initials to the exterior of the bow. The engraving remains crisp throughout and the condition is excellent. The tongs are marked "STERLING" incuse to one side and "IP" maker's mark thrice to the other. In addition, there is a fleur de lys mark.
The fleur de lys or trefoil mark can be found on Limerick silver by different makers for the period 1780 - 1810. Bowen & O'Brien in "A Celebration of Limerick's Silver" state the theory that "these items were stamped by a municipal officer to indicate conformity with a local ordinance of some nature, such as payment of atax".
