Tongs

Public Domain

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Maker Samuel Kirk (American, 1793–1872)American, 1793–1872

CultureAmerican

Titles

Tongs

Datec. 1824–1829

Made inBaltimore, Maryland, United States

MediumSilver

Dimensions6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, museum purchase funded by Miss Ima Hogg and The Friends of Bayou Bend

Object numberB.71.90

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Metals Study Room

On view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

METALWORK

DescriptionSamuel Kirk, the best known and most prolific of Maryland’s silversmiths, was so successful that by 1828 over 90 percent of the silver submitted to the Baltimore assay office was of his manufacture. In 1846, Samuel brought a son into his business and styled its name as Samuel Kirk & Son. A second son joined in 1861, and the firm became Samuel Kirk & Sons. The brand survives today as Kirk-Stieff, though all operations in Baltimore ceased in 1999.
Provenance[Peter Hill, Washington, D.C.]; purchased by MFAH, 1970.
Published References Warren, David B. '"Baltimore Silver by Samuel Kirk." The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Bulletin, n.s., 1, no. 8 (December 1970), pp. 96–97; Warren, David B. Bayou Bend: American Furniture, Paintings and Silver from the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1975, p. 174, no. 329. Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Engraved: LBI

Mark of Samuel Kirk [Goldsborough et. al. 1983, p. 29, fig. 5]

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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