Tongs c. 1940s

Here are some tongs of unknown date made by an anonymous artist. Look at these tongs! Imagine the patient hand that adorned them. What kind of ink did they use? You know, the art of the everyday gets me every time. It speaks of someone finding beauty and a moment of quiet artistry even in the most functional object. There's a sailboat bobbing on the waves. A lone house under the palms. I wonder, was the artist dreaming of a faraway place? Maybe they were like, "Sugar cube, you’re about to go on vacation!” Or maybe, they simply loved the contrast of black ink on silver metal. There’s such charm in this type of detailed work. It reminds me of folk art, of samplers, or even old tattoos – a personal touch, a small rebellion against the mundane. I bet that anonymous artist would be happy knowing we are still looking at their work.