Beautifully made scissor-form tongs, designed to pick up a small ember from the fireplace and ignite tobacco in a pipe bowl. The pincers are spade shaped, each section being chamfered and riveted, the finger loops are drawn out and smooth. Extension goes from 3.5 to 16 inches - when fully compressed, the tongs are 5 inches wide. No restoration. Surface quality is excellent. One finger loop is out of round. I purchased these decades ago from Maine Antiquarian, Ross Levett. American, late 18th century.