RLongden Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 At our allotments last weekend, some kind soul had dumped a pile of rubbish on one of our benches, mainly comprisIng of old plant pots, takeaway cartons and cardboard boxes. In the process of breaking these up and disposing of them in our bin at home, my wife discovered a couple of sugar tongs in the bottom of one of the boxes, black and dirty, but she rescued them from the bin. She cleaned them up with a silver cloth and they came up nicely. Although of no great value, they are interesting only in as far as where they were made? The ‘claw’ pattern tongs are marked ‘G C & Co EP’. The ‘spoon’ pattern tongs are just marked ‘EPNS’ (Electro Plated Nickel Silver)? There are no makers marks on these. Although neither are silver, I tried looking for the ‘G C & Co’ hallmark, to see if they were Sheffield made? Sadly, the only reference I could find was a ‘Green & Cadbury Co.’, based in Birmingham, if in fact that is who the mark belongs to? Does anyone have any ideas of who the ‘claw’ pattern tongs could have been made by? Obviously the ‘spoon’ pattern tongs will not be traceable. Thanks in advance… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponytail Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 I think the "claw design" would be quite common. I have some similar silver tongs hallmarked in Birmingham 1898 by L&S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boginspro Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 If it wasn't for the "& Co" I would have said George Cutts, if it is Sheffield it is perhaps just a possibility. School of Art Works 53/57 Arundel Street (1857-1862), 29-35 Broad St Park (1862-1881). Later became '& Sons' in 1882 at Park Britannia Metal & Silver Plate Works. The firm went bankrupt in 1889 and the assets were acquired by John Batt,. EDIT - ADDED LINK AND IMAGE This on Ebay said to be George Cutts :- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256449673718?itmmeta=01HSEYWC64ATZS4ZJSRNBTYXTA&hash=item3bb59779f6:g:mwcAAOSwAbRl9xbh&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4J664JdW%2BTNzRPZPAmXCV3feZy3xpdAMaWAqbsRFJH413qGAYUqY3iCmBgnM9lH%2BbLF9%2B%2FM2od6ADm138%2BYgWFFUqFWgjinDtyK4hV1nlGPpy9%2BZpJduR%2F6D8UAfnGQifj9P4WPdN8g%2FQiz6TVSTYPKlWykvn4WRDNEuYACDNkBlmiIKfVJXqgU2zzS0807wBUjGTlTWZ4VN68xXI%2By7RMmQvRRdnESRzCfh8ya7emfZLim23RIGBq45MKboiI8zXWSEIGtyLyt4%2FVywf6uRv2aGq9BFqgo3luqzgRPFiven|tkp%3ABk9SR5TD8d7LYw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalfred Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 Hello, that "S" under the EP mark makes it highly likely that the tongs were made in Sheffield. When I saw the manufacturers marks I thought "George Cutts" and although "&Co", the marks are styled similarly to marks attributed to George Cutts. Is it possible that an "&Co" firm was set up at the bankruptcy? I see it is referenced that J Batt was "family" with the Cutts Brothers (George Cutts' sons). Kalfred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLongden Posted March 21 Author Share Posted March 21 Thank you @boginspro and @Kalfred i did look at George Cutts of Sheffield, but the GCS hallmark in a stylised pyramid made me discount them, as it’s completely different. Interesting that the platter on eBay has exactly the same hallmark as my sugar tongs, but there is no provenance that the platter is George Cutts, beyond the claim in the listing? Really appreciate the leads gents and I’ll keep digging around to see what I can find… 😁👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmund Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 In 1857 George Cutts retired from the firm of "Cutts Brothers" and started business at 53 Arundel street at "The School of Art" works, with about 50 staff, which was opened on Easter Monday 1858. In October 1861 he removed the firm to 33 Broad street ("The Park Silver Plated and Britannia Metal Works") previously occupied by Joseph Wolstenholme. In November 1870 "George Cutts and Co" loaded a shipment of E.P. goods in two casks onto the Midland Railway. They were intended for sale in Canada and were misdelivered to the wrong shipper in Liverpool, hence missing the selling season in Toronto. Abraham Griffiths, an American merchant, sued the railway for the loss of profit. In September 1873 he purchased the business of George Tagg, general stamper. George (of 13 Glen Road) died aged 61 on 19th April 1881 leaving £6,638 6s - the executors were his wife Ann and sons WIlliam and George. After the 1889 bankruptcy John Batt was operating as George Cutts from the Broad street premises, in April 1890 advertising for a good scratch brusher. It appears that very soon after this, Batt started operating as John Batt and Co. and the Cutts name was dropped. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalfred Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 An excellent find of corroborating information Edmund. Kalfred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tozzin Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 From Geoff Tweedale's Directory Of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers: Sadly his home on Glenn Road has been demolished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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