On May 15, 1750, Martha Dandridge married Daniel Parke Custis, marking her ascension into the highest echelon of Virginia society. As befitting her new station, she and her husband outfitted their home with the finest dining wares from England. This pair of silver sugar tongs, engraved with the early Custis crest of a wingless bird of prey with feathered ears (often thought to be an eagle), was once part of an elegant tea service. Following the untimely death of her first husband in 1757 and her second marriage to George Washington, the tongs and Mrs. Washington made their way to Mount Vernon.

See also tablespoons, W-2531 and W-2537.