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Thomas Wallis II registered his first mark on 7th November 1778 as a plate-worker. He had been apprenticed to Thomas Wallis I. Curiously there is no evidence that the two were related. Thomas Wallis II then entered four marks as a buckle-maker between 1780 and 1789 before entering another mark in 1791 as a plate-worker. He entered several more marks before going into partnership with Jonathan Hayne in 1810. Thomas Wallis II was a prolific maker of sugar tongs. his mark is a very distinctive script "TW" in a rectangular punch. Thomas Wallis II marks also very often have a journeyman's mark - these can be seen in the pictures below.
Thomas Wallis II is often confused with John Wren II.
Jackson's does not refer to Thomas Wallis II but shows a mark that looks very similar to Thomas Wallis's, attributing it to John Wren II with a question mark against it. Grimwade records John Wren II as a spoon-maker and his mark very clearly has a pellet between the I and the W and the I actually looks like an I. John Wren II was also earlier, his first mark was entered in 1777, and he was only known to be working until 1795.
I have never seen any sugar tongs made by John Wren II.
Click on any picture to enlarge |
1778 - 1780
(this mark is from a pair of cast tongs, dated c1780).
1780 - 1784
(this
mark is from bright cut tongs marked with the Lion Passant & maker's marks only,
dated c1784).
1785 - 1786
(these marks are from tongs with the incuse duty mark).