Rare William IV English Silver Novelty Harlequin Sugar Tongs Dee & Fargus c.1830

An amusing pair of silver sugar tongs modelled as a harlequin holding two hoops above his head formed from snakes. Very finely cast detail. The tongs are formed from stylised acanthus leaves. Hallmarked for London with the lion passant and makers mark for Thomas Dee & John Fargus, no date letter but c.1830. There are a number of much later and continental copies of these Harlequin tongs that can be found but English hallmarked examples of this period are very rare and the earliest that will be found.