Pennsylvania, attributed, circa 1750–1780
A wonderfully primitive pair of early American hand-forged wrought-iron ember and pipe tongs, attributed to Pennsylvania and dating to the mid-18th century. Forged by an unidentified colonial blacksmith, the tongs are constructed with exceptionally long, slender scissor-form arms joined by an early copper-alloy pivot and terminating in broad, flattened ember-gripping pads.
The handles are especially appealing, each individually drawn and worked from heavy round iron into a large oval finger loop, with the iron returning to the shank in a tight hand-forged curl. Slight irregularities between the two sides, variations along the forged edges, and the gradual transition from rounded handle stock to flattened arms retain the unmistakable character of early blacksmith work.
Designed for use at the open hearth, such tongs allowed a glowing coal to be lifted from the fire and manipulated safely, including for the lighting of a tobacco pipe—an everyday implement of colonial domestic life transformed here by the blacksmith’s hand into an exceptionally sculptural piece of early American ironwork.
The surface is particularly noteworthy, retaining a deep, dry brown-black patina with oxidation, pitting and generations of handling and hearth wear, beautifully emphasizing the irregularities of the wrought iron. The warm copper-toned pivot provides a striking contrast against the dark iron.
Comparable American wrought-iron pipe tongs survive in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, including an example dated 1740–1780, while the Metropolitan Museum of Art preserves a wrought-iron example specifically catalogued as American, made in Pennsylvania, 1700–1800.
Pennsylvania, attributed, circa 1750–1780.
Wrought iron with copper-alloy pivot.
14½ in. long × 3¼ in. wide.