Thomas Wallis I

Thomas Wallis 1 registered his first mark in 1758. He died about 1818 and registered several similar marks in the interim. His apprentice Thomas Wallis II was not free until 1779, so all marks registered before that date must belong to Thomas senior.
There are five pairs of tongs on this page, the first two are lighter than average at only one ounce but in neither case is this because they are shorter than usual. Three and four are heavier than average and 5 is average for the style. From the style of the bowls I think 2 is the earliest then 4, 3 and 5 with 1 as the latest example. However this is just a theory!

1.

         Makers Mark       Punch getting a little old?

These tongs are very intricate and delicate, they are also quite light. Unusually for cast tongs they have acorn bowls, perhaps indicating they were made late in the period, just before the  change of style away from cast and pierced tongs to the less fragile one piece tongs. The makers mark stamp also appears to have been well used which might also indicate a date late in the period. There is a journeyman's mark alongside it, so it is possible that this pair was actually made by an apprentice (possibly even TW II)
The decoration to the bow is bright cut and contains a vacant cartouche. They are in excellent condition.

Date: 1758 - 1779
Weight: 1 oz
Length: 5 1/2 ins

Bow with vacant cartouche                                                           Sterling Mark

2.

Makers mark      Partly Filled in W                        

These tongs are also very delicate, though not as ornate as 1 above, and in a completely different style are also rather light weighing just 1 oz. They have the more usual shell bowls, and while the mark is not as course as 1 above it also shows signs of wear. The bow has owners initials BB engraved sideways but there is no actual cartouche. The rest of the engraving on the bow is very deeply cut and is the common daisy and leaves design. There is a very small, skillfully done, repair to one arm, which may be contemporary with the casting.

Date: 1758 - 1779
Weight: 1 oz
Length: 5 1/2 ins

               Sterling Mark                                                        Sideways initials on bow

3.

Makers mark   much sharper punch

The mark on these tongs is made with a much better/newer punch and there is a little more space between the letters than on those above. Interestingly they were never hallmarked, where they perhaps "removed" illicitly from the workshop? They are in perfect pristine condition, are quite solid and weigh 1 1/2 ounces. There is a monogram M B to the bow. The style of the bowls and the arms suggests perhaps an early date circa 1765. They are remarkably similar to the pair stamped IG and attributed to John Gurney or James Graham here These have a better finish to the bowls and different decoration on the bow but otherwise could be from the same mould.

Monogrammed Bow

4.

Makers Mark beginning to deteriorate?

The mark on these is not as badly worn as in 1 &2 but the W is beginning to deteriorate. The arms are very slim towards the bowls and one side has required reinforcement. There is a monogram of a single W on the bow, which is otherwise plain with a thread edge. Decoration and style of the bowls is similar to 3 above. At 1 5/8 ounces they are heavier than average.

Monogrammed Bow

5.

Makers mark Better punch

These tongs are lighter than the two above, but heavier than the first two, at the more usual 1 3/8 ounces. There is a well engraved monogram to the bow of M McK and they have no repairs or damage. The style of the bowls is more elegant than any except 1 and is a progression from 3 &4 in that direction, the arms too are delicate in design. This probably dates the tongs as circa 1775.

Monogrammed Bow                                                             Clear Hallmark