This is a pair of completely plain tongs. This is quite unusual for Exeter makers of this period. They are quite narrow and straight. These tongs show the profiled duty mark which is believed to have only been used between July and August 1797, enabling the tongs to be very accurately dated. Curiously there is no record of William Pearce having sent any tongs for assay after July 1784. This is very difficult to reconcile with the actual tongs seen.