These tongs are simple straight sided bright cut engraved tongs. The proportions are just slightly different to most London tongs of this period, not quite tapering as much as most.They are dated c1780 - 1784. The hallmarks are in the bowls and the maker's mark has been overstruck. This is a feature of all the tongs by Pratt & Humphreys, suggesting that they did not actually make them but bought them from another maker.