Tongs 1800 - 1830

These silver tongs were made by Robert Swan in the early 19th century, a period when the burgeoning middle class sought ways to emulate the aristocracy through refined household items. Consider these tongs within the social customs of tea and sugar consumption. In the 1800s, sugar was a highly sought after commodity, brought to Europe and the Americas through the exploitation of enslaved people in the West Indies. Silver objects such as these tongs were a signifier of wealth and gentility. By purchasing such items, a family could signal their membership in elite social circles, even if their fortune was relatively new. Analyzing objects like these tongs pushes us to consider the relationship between social class, colonialism, and the material culture of everyday life. Researching probate records, merchant's papers, and historical society archives can yield a richer understanding of how these items functioned within the complex social world of the early 19th century.