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These iron sugar cutters are a domestic utensil used for breaking loaf sugar into suitable pieces for table use. The museum holds little information about their origins or place of use.

1 pair of sugar cutters: metal (wrought iron); fair condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …‘Nothing is known of the origin of these iron sugar cutters. They measure 10 1/4 inches in length. There is no catch or spike. // see 51/543L.', MERL 'Catalogue index card' for 51/543 - 'Sugar cutters were used before the introduction of cube sugar in the second half of the nineteenth century to break up loaf sugar into pieces suitable for table use. The loaf was a circular cone about 14 inches at the base by 36 inches in height. // Lindsay (Iron and Brass Implements of the English House) says, “These were made on the principle of pliers, the jaws being almost circular and having a sharp blade at the end of each, they could be manipulated by one hand, as the jaws were forced open by a spring upon unfastening a catch at the end of the handles. To prevent the knuckles coming into violent contact with the table, a spike or distance piece was attached to the outside of one handle”.'