A wonderfully primitive pair of early American hand-forged wrought-iron ember tongs, retaining a remarkably bold and sculptural form. Fashioned in the manner of oversized scissors, the tongs feature substantial flattened blades terminating in small upturned gripping tips, with thick, irregularly forged circular finger loops and a large hand-peened iron pivot.
The wonderfully uneven contours, variations in the forged iron, and robust construction speak clearly to the hand of an early blacksmith. Particularly appealing is the contrast between the broad, almost leaf-shaped blades and diminutive curved tips—an exceptionally graphic form created for the simple domestic task of retrieving a glowing ember from the hearth, often for lighting a pipe or transferring a coal.
Retaining a rich, untouched dark-brown oxidized surface with expected pitting, wear, and irregularities associated with considerable age and use. A handsome and increasingly difficult-to-find example of early American hearth iron, possessing tremendous sculptural presence and folk-art appeal.
American, circa 1750–1780.
9 1/2 in. long × 3 1/2 in. wide.
Hand-forged wrought iron; original peened pivot and old surface.