George III Sterling Sugar Tongs

Description

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My business partner & I are going out of town to do 2 Antique Shows. Any items won/purchased will be shipped on 7/20/21, We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!
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Excellent condition on these tongs with hand engraved bright cut pattern. I love the acorn tips! You can find a bit of blurring to pattern in a few areas due to use, old style cleaners or just not as heavy a hand with the engraving tool. Their pattern/style leans towards approx. 1760. Regretfully almost all marks except maker are unreadable due to what appears to be light and/or uneven application. The tongs are 5 1/4" long. Those great acorns are a little over 3/4" long and the top of the handle is 5/8" wide x  just shy of 1 1/2" at widest point of the curve's open space.
We are attributing the tongs to George III. Just next to the makers mark is a faint oval cartouche that has an outline interior matching the George III bust. The maker mark is IM in a form of rectangle (possible sq. corners). I found 3 English smiths with that hallmark. J. Muns/London/Registered 1753 - J Mitchison/New Castle/Reg. 1784 and J. Mappin/Sheffield/Reg. 1775. Regretfully what I believe to possibly be the Lion is nothing but blurry shapes with just a partial outline for the next mark. So no assay city nor date mark available.
We are seniors and as my husband has health problems I try to only do errands, like Ebay shipping, on Tues. and Fridays.