A fancy antique pair of George ll English sterling silver sugar tongs or nips with shell shaped 'pincers'. These little sugar tongs would have been used by ladies for sugar cubes prior to dropping the sugar cubes in their tea.
The tongs are sterling silver, dating to the 18th Century Georgian period with the lion and IG makers mark on each handle.  The small workers register for this period was lost, but there are references to this maker during the period and the lion mark is consistent with a date around 1720-30.
The makers mark is IG to the best of our knowledge and is as follows
John Gorham or Jeffrey Griffith   1728.-1732   This matches with the Lion Passant mark.
A fine pair of surgar tongs from an English Estate.  Condition is very good with normal patina for this type of sugar tong. Perfect patina.
*Hinge lightly engraved with JH.