Ice Tongs Made from 1930s British East Africa 10 Cent Coins, Circa 1960s-70s

Description

These are hand-made by a Kenyan metalsmith/artisan in the 1960s or 70s, possibly earlier, as the coins comprising the ice-gripping portion are fashioned from authentic British East Africa copper ten-cent pieces from the 1930s. The two coins are
dated 1933 and 1936.  Coins such as these remained in circulation until Kenyan independence circa 1963. The copper coins were annealed and hammered or pressed until they were concave and then each coin was soldered to the two ends of the U-shaped handle, itself made from copper 1/2 round bar stock or thick wire stock.  The tongs are 8 1/2" (21cm) long and weigh 2 1/4oz (61g). The original coins each had a hole in the center, as did many European colonial coins minted for use in Africa during the colonial era; these allowed the African indigenous inhabitants (whose traditional dress usually did not feature pockets) to carry them by stringing the coins on a cord - in this manner, they also doubled as jewelry. The handle is die-stamped "MADE IN KENYA" and "HANDMADE" on the inner portion of one side of the handle.  Tongs and similarly made spoons were frequently silver-plated; this particular example has no traces of plating, so it was probably originally not plated;
that said, the copper is polished to a very high luster.  Tongs, spoons, and similar items were made for the tourist trade, but not in any appreciable quantity. They were usually commissioned from a Kenyan artisan and sold in the higher end souvenir shops in Nairobi and are now relatively scarce.  Very unique and seldom encountered anymore.