«MARTINI» grabber tongs · bar tool

A slim grabbing tool for the bar: on top a flower-shaped push disc stamped «MARTINI», at the bottom a toothed set of jaws, and a knurled shaft between them.

The button on top sits on a plunger running through the hollow shaft. Press it and the jaws open below; let go and they close again. The two jaws are finely toothed and slightly curved — made for things you would rather not fish out of a glass with your fingers: olives, cherries, lemon zest, ice.

The push disc reads «MARTINI» in an oval, clearly legible. Promotional ware for the bar, then. Whether the piece comes from Martini & Rossi or from a supplier using the same stamp is written nowhere on it — so I do not claim it.

Silvery, shiny metal, darkly tarnished at the edges and on the jaws. Whether nickel- or silver-plated cannot be said without a mark. No stamp is to be found.

There is no photograph with a tape measure for this piece. It is clearly longer than a hand is wide. I will measure it on request.

• Push button on top, toothed jaws below
• Flower-shaped push disc, stamped «MARTINI»
• Knurled shaft
• Silvery metal, darkly tarnished
• Material and length not confirmed

Good. The mechanism runs, the jaws open and close cleanly. Tarnish on jaws and edges, no bending, no play in the shaft.