Sugar Tongs
ca. 1760
Medium
metalwork
Classification
metalwork
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Cahn, Jr. in memory of Rosalie S. and William M. Cahn
Accession Number
1981-49-19
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Sugar Tongs** *William Harrison I, ca. 1760* *Metalwork, Smithsonian American Art Museum**Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William M.ahn, Jr. in of Rosalie S. William M. Cahn* Crafted around 1760 by William Harrison I, these sugar tongs exemplify the refined metalwork of colonial America. As functional yet elegant utensils designed for serving lump sugar during tea rituals, they reflect the era's growing appreciation for sophisticated tableware among the emerging merchant class. Sugar, a luxury import from Caribbean plantations, symbolized wealth and hospitality, making such pieces essential to gen...