Blacksmith's iron hoop tongs from the Roman site at Newstead (Trimontium), 80 - 100 AD

Blacksmith's iron tongs from the Roman site at Newstead (Trimontium), 80 - 100 AD

Pair of forge tongs from a Viking burial at Ballinaby, Islay

Pair of iron forge tongs, from a refuse heap near the broch at Dun Phail, Gartymore

Tongs or tweezers in bronze consisting of a rod of metal bent into a U-shape with its ends beaten flat: Ancient Egyptian, possibly Upper Egypt, Thebes, possibly New Kingdom

Wooden tongs for lifting hot stones in an earth oven: Melanesia, Vanuatu, Aneityum, late 19th century

Pair of silver-gilt tongs with shield-shaped ends and stems decorated with a line of anthemion and palmette motifs, part of a tea service made for the Emperor Napoleon I and his second wife, the Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria: French, Paris, by Martin-Guillaume Biennais, 1810, purchased by Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, in 1830

Pair of silver-gilt tongs with shield-shaped ends and stems decorated with a line of anthemion and palmette motifs, part of a tea service made for the Emperor Napoleon I and his second wife, the Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria: French, Paris, by Martin-Guillaume Biennais, 1810, purchased by Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, in 1830

Pair of silver gilt tongs with coral stems and shell bowls, the bow engraved with the arms of William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey: English, London, by Joseph William Story and William Elliott, 1813 - 1814

Pair of silver gilt tongs with stems consisting of linked ovals, the bow engraved with the arms of William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey: English, London, by Joseph William Story and William Elliott, 1812 - 1813

Pair of silver gilt tongs with stems with applied wirework interlacing, the bow engraved with arms, possibly of William Beckford: English, London, attributed to Joseph William Story and William Elliott, c. 1812 - 1813