Asked on Mar 26, 2012

Does anyone know what this is?

Just turn them upside down and open them, then insert a roll of paper towel and tada, you have yourself a brand new paper towel holder that is not only beautiful, but has history and meaning!
Clever way to re-purpose it.
250 of 322 answers
  • 3po3 3po3 on Mar 26, 2012
    Looks like you figured out what it is - or at least a clever way to use it. Looks like some kind of blacksmithing tongs or something to me.
  • looks like an old piece that was used by blacksmith to grab hot metals. I dont know for sure but thats the first thing i thought of when i saw it
  • Michael S Michael S on Mar 27, 2012
    Ice Block grapple
    • See 3 previous
    • Bijoux Bijoux on Jan 03, 2018

      That was my thought too.

  • Phil Bauman Phil Bauman on Mar 27, 2012
    Looks like an Ice cube holder from an old ice box.
  • Wow! Michael & Phil got it ! Michael nailed the name as well! Steve, you are too young to remember, so am I actually but when my father was building our lake house we used to go by boat to an ice house & they would bring us block of ice & carry it with the block grapple. That block of ice lasts a lot longer than a bag of ice due to the density & size. Great job guys, thank you that was fun! We found a new use for an old grapple, RE-PURPOSED! Whoa!
    • See 1 previous
    • Pam Pam on Oct 17, 2023

      First time I saw this question! I knew from watching little house on the Prairie!!

  • Southern Trillium LLC Southern Trillium LLC on Mar 27, 2012
    These may have originally been used for ice blocks. But we use 2 sets of them to help haul out old railroad ties. They are perfect for grabbing, pulling, and carrying those old and heavy railroad ties as we haul them out of people's yards.
  • Wow, that means they are strong & do not break with heavy weight.
  • Debra F Debra F on Mar 27, 2012
    Looks as though it has multiple uses, for logs to put in the fire and also the hot ones to remove??
  • Tim S Tim S on Mar 27, 2012
    Looks like ice tongs....not that I am old enough to have ever used them!
  • Donna McCrummen Donna McCrummen on Mar 27, 2012
    ice tongs
  • Frank C Frank C on Mar 27, 2012
    Ye they are ICE THONGS, My Dad used them for the ice box when I was very little..
  • Yup ice tongs...some folks have tried to use them to carry haybales around with as well.
  • Tim S, howdy! You and I just missed the "Ice box" age. I do have a real antique one though.
  • AA Marble & Granite, LLC AA Marble & Granite, LLC on Mar 27, 2012
    My Grandfather and I used these when we went to the Atlanta Ice company to get blocks of ice for making ice cream. We used an ice pick to chip the ice to fit around the churn and would have to crank the churn for a couple of hours. Oh, what fond memories!
  • Ann W Ann W on Mar 27, 2012
    ice tong
  • Deb L Deb L on Mar 27, 2012
    no doubt. Ice tongs.
  • Rich M Rich M on Mar 27, 2012
    firewood tongs or ice tongs
  • Valerie H Valerie H on Mar 27, 2012
    Those are ice tongs that they used to use in the "olden days" to pick up a block of ice.
  • John S John S on Mar 28, 2012
    Like many people have already said they are ice tongs for carrying blocked ice but you can repurpose them in many ways. I personally love it when people use items from the past in a new inventive way such as an old hay hoist as a light in your living room by using an extension cord as the "rope" and the light bulb as the "hook".
  • If they were larger, that is what we used to lift bales of hay into the upper level of a barn. It was on a pulley system.
  • And here I thought that they were some form of colonial belt and suspenders systems. You put the pointed end in your ears and the bottom loops are for looping the front of your belt so that your pants don't slide down. Remember that belts had to support guns and other items. Sure it could be painful but then again so were heels.
  • PFG PFG on Mar 28, 2012
    looks like an antique ice block pick
  • Susan S Susan S on Mar 28, 2012
    And Kevin - YOU would be willing to demo this technique, RIGHT???
  • Sure Susan! You'll be my assistant for the demonstration right? :D
  • Wayne B Wayne B on Mar 28, 2012
    They are ice tongs. "Back in the day" people bought ice from an ice house or country store. The ice was delivered in big blocks weighing several hundred pounds. A person would chip off a 'hunk' of ice, say 50 pounds, and the tongs were used to carry the ice to its destination-usually the back end of a pickup truck.
  • Bernice H Bernice H on Mar 28, 2012
    Kevin V...funny! What an imagination! Love the re-purpose Leann...
  • Charli R Charli R on Mar 28, 2012
    These are ice tongs for carrying large chunks of ice that was used before refrigerators.
  • Charli R Charli R on Mar 28, 2012
    guess I should have read all the previous posts before posting ...
  • DeMarie I DeMarie I on Mar 28, 2012
    Ice tongs. Growing up in Philly, I remember a woman who lived on our street still had an "ice box" and the ice man would deliver blocks of ice and used tongs that looked like these. He use to throw us kids a few big "chips" and we'd suck on them for a while!!
  • LandlightS LandlightS on Mar 28, 2012
    My father used these as a "milkman" in Buffalo, NY so any years ago for his delivery truck. And I used to get big chips of ice to suck on also
  • Great memories of simpler times. Thank you all for sharing (:
  • Susan S Susan S on Mar 28, 2012
    Kevin - well of course Dawlinq!!! LOL : ~ )
  • Dianna S Dianna S on Mar 28, 2012
    My husband's father was an ice man. It looks like a tool he used to carry blocks of ice.
  • Diane C Diane C on Mar 29, 2012
    Yes, these are ice tongs
  • Emily C Emily C on Mar 29, 2012
    For picking up an ice block WAAAAAAY back when :)
  • Bill B Bill B on Mar 29, 2012
    I used a smaller one for toilet paper. Ice tongs.
  • BJ W BJ W on Mar 29, 2012
    Or to move bails of hay
  • Tim B Tim B on Mar 29, 2012
    i agree with ice tongs, but I like the idea for toilet paper
  • Ginny G Ginny G on Mar 29, 2012
    I have one of them and have wondered for years how much it is worth. I bought mine years ago at my aunts antique store for just a couple dollars. I used it for a paper towel holder too, but it held the towels too tight, had to use both hands to get a piece off. Not real handy. But wouldn't get rid of it.
  • Cynthia R Cynthia R on Mar 29, 2012
    lg ice block holder
  • Noreen Y Noreen Y on Mar 29, 2012
    Ice picker-upper.
  • Vera D Vera D on Mar 29, 2012
    An ice picker upper for when they delivered ice for the ice-box.
  • Cathy L Cathy L on Mar 29, 2012
    Showing my age here! I remember as a kid when the "ice man" came & use these to bring in a big block of ice for our "ice box"!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • GINNY, THIS ONE IS NOT TOO TIGHT AND WORKS WELL.
  • Christine G Christine G on Mar 29, 2012
    ice block hooks. Years ago ice men brought ice to home and put it into the ice box.
  • Susan S Susan S on Mar 29, 2012
    Well Lee Anne, looks like the over-whelming consensus is you've got yourself a genuine antique Charmin or Bounty holder!!! LOL Things like that are so neat though. The sad thing is that my grandkids generation and maybe even our kids wouldn't have a clue!!!
  • Carolyn B Carolyn B on Mar 29, 2012
    I had an Ice Box when I was a kid and Ice was delivered , they would use the Ice Tongs to carry the ice into the house, lots of drips too.. My Mom was always wiping up behind the ice man.. He would give all the kids a chunk of ice to eat after he was done..Sometimes we would run behind his truck till he stopped and gave us some ice..Good Ole days!!
  • Marylee Marylee on Mar 30, 2012
    They are antique ice tongs.They were used to pick up blocks of ice for old refrigerators. An ice wagon would travel the neighborhoods selling and delivering the blocks.
  • Naomi J Naomi J on Mar 30, 2012
    I use one of these as a paper towel holder in a cabin, its fun to re-purpose.
  • Smokey E Smokey E on Apr 08, 2012
    These are ice tongs, for carrying block ice from the lake to the ice house in the "old days".
  • Phil Bauman Phil Bauman on Apr 08, 2012
    Except for us city slickers, who had the ice toted up from a truck to the ice box.
  • I actually have an old oak ice box. It must weigh 200 pounds. I will take a photo and post it.
  • Barbara C Barbara C on Jun 06, 2012
    probably ice tongs from the days when "ice boxes" really were ice boxes,lol
  • Pat Pat on Jun 06, 2012
    Looks like the ice tongs that were used when you got ice in blocks from an ice house back in the day.
  • Grannybaer Grannybaer on Jan 27, 2015
    It looks like the tongs to pick up a large block of ice for a ice box
  • Dotrobbins Dotrobbins on Feb 23, 2015
    ice men used them long ago.
  • Marie Marie on Feb 23, 2015
    Yes, I remember the ice man carrying ice up the stairs when we lived in Chicago,,,ages ago....Even remember the card that mom put in the window to tell him how much to bring..Also the coal man...
  • Jane R. Jane R. on Feb 24, 2015
    As others stated, they are ice tongs. As a kid I remember my parents going to the ice house to get a block of ice. Then they used an ice pick and hammer or something similar, to break the ice into pieces and put them in an ice chest to keep fish cold when we went fishing. I happen to have one of these but it's just in the garage and don't think I'll use it for anything. It couldn't be made into anything I'd use in my house.
  • Brenda Cooley Brenda Cooley on Mar 08, 2015
    It's to pick up logs.
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Jun 04, 2015
      @Brenda Cooley That's what I thought initially too...The 2 are very similar. This one seems a little more square and wide, so I'm guessing that those who said they are ice tongs are probably right.
  • Pat Pat on Mar 10, 2015
    Yes,ice tongs!
  • Kaycampbelljones Kaycampbelljones on May 01, 2015
    look's like old ICE GRIPPER'S, ICE CARRIER'S FROM A ICE HOUSE. BLOCK'S OF ICE for the old "ICE BOX"
  • Gladys Gladys on May 14, 2015
    When I was a (city) kid, we had a red headed "Ice Man" who would deliver the large blocks of ice, right into the kitchen and put them in the Ice Box (non-electric fridge). He'd use the tongs to get the ice block from his truck and sling it up onto his shoulder, and had a thick towel over his shoulder to protect his shoulder and shirt. The ice blocks were heavy. We always looked forward to his coming, and sometimes we'd go to the Ice House where we stored meat that we had had butchered. They rented out space in their freezer section. This was back in the 1940's.
  • Arline S Arline S on Jun 03, 2015
    At our house he carried ice up to the 2nd floor and put it in the box.You had a reversable card you put in your window to let him know how much you needed each time.Someone had to empty to drip tray under the box, so as not to overflow.What a job.
  • Jane R. Jane R. on Jun 08, 2015
    I have one of these. Thinking about selling it. Anyone know what it's worth?
  • Tracy Wright Tracy Wright on Jun 30, 2015
    Looks like what they use for lifting ice blocks.
  • Sheri Ritchery Sheri Ritchery on Jun 30, 2015
    Looks like tongs that were used to pick up large block of ice back in the day before crushed ice machines.
  • Connie Burgess Connie Burgess on Jun 30, 2015
    We had an icebox before electric fridge. Ice block sat in bottom to keep contents cool. Ice blocks were cut from frozen river & layered with straw to use in spring, summer & fall. A tray to collect water under ice had to be emptied regularly. Young men with strong bodies delivered the blocks to homes etc.
  • Rita Fabro Rita Fabro on Aug 17, 2015
    THAT IS AN ICE CLAMP FROM WHEN PEOPLE OWNED ICE-BOXES INSTEAD OF FRIDGES.
  • Kathy Kathy on Aug 17, 2015
    YEPPERS and Ice block clamp...the ice man used one to pick them up...watch Lassie..LOL We had one...it hung in the basement...ice block fridge was now a protane refrigerator. Winds took out power our too often to rely on electricity. A long time ago..
  • Wanda sinnema Wanda sinnema on Sep 02, 2015
    Ice tongs is correct.....Back in the day, Ice was delivered in huge blocks by wagons. these tongs were used to pick the huge blocks up and put into the "ice box" prior to the refrigerators coming on the scene..
  • Mona Hetfield Mona Hetfield on Sep 06, 2015
    my husband has these and they are for picking up firewood after its cut. I've used them
  • ESA ES UNA PINZA CON LA QUE SE TOMAN LOS ANIMALES DE LAS NARICES PARA MOVERLOS
  • Terra Gazelle Terra Gazelle on Oct 06, 2015
    For blocks of ice...
  • Georgia Lyman Georgia Lyman on Dec 04, 2015
    ice tongs
  • Marie Marie on Dec 04, 2015
    Yes, ice tongs, I remember it well.....
  • UpState UpState on Dec 10, 2015
    Old-style baby delivery forceps. Pretty much 'out of style' nowadays.
  • UpState UpState on Dec 11, 2015
    That's a very good and sensible use, too ! Thanks !
    • Bernice H Bernice H on Dec 11, 2015
      Ohhhh my,I can't imagine this near my nether parts! @culpepper.....can you? And I certainly wouldn't use it for decoration if it was forceps. Glad to know these are for ice. How did this thread get renewed from 2012? Interesting!
  • UpState UpState on Dec 11, 2015
    Good thing medical science had progressed, eh ?
  • Gladys Gladys on Jan 27, 2016
    I'm now in the market for some of these...so clever.
  • UpState UpState on Jan 28, 2016
    Some older gynecologists may have some for sale since they use them very infrequently nowadays.
  • Marie Marie on Jan 28, 2016
    Yes, they are ice tongs...when people had ice delivered to their door.....I remember the ice man,......
  • Tracy Hudson Tracy Hudson on Jan 28, 2016
    definitely ice tongs. my cousin has our great-grandfather's. what a wonder repurpose, love the idea!
  • Deltamom Deltamom on Jan 29, 2016
    Ice tongs. Back in the day when ice was sold in blocks from the 'ice house'!
  • Folkert B Folkert B on Jan 31, 2016
    It is an ice tong. My Uncle sold ice in San Antonio in 1939 and carried blocks of ice to ice boxes in customers homes.
  • Duv310660 Duv310660 on Feb 05, 2016
    I'm pretty sure my father used his to move big logs into our large fireplace, but his childhood home definitely chilled with ice!
  • Candy Shields Candy Shields on Apr 29, 2016
    It's a log mover; but I like how you use it for paper towels.. cute idea and repurposing it to make it useful if you don't have a fire place!
  • Pat Pat on May 01, 2016
    It's used to handle blocks. When you only had an ice box, they delivered ice blocks using these ice tongs.
  • Lois Keffer Lois Keffer on May 07, 2016
    It looks like the tongs my aunt used to remove clinkers from her coal furnace.
  • Sharon Trotter Sharon Trotter on May 07, 2016
    It's an ice tong.
  • Ruth E Ruth E on May 09, 2016
    Ice tong
  • Bva2035791 Bva2035791 on May 10, 2016
    Old ice tongs
  • Kent jardine Kent jardine on May 10, 2016
    To carry blocks of ice when cut out of a lake.
  • Leslee Gahafer Leslee Gahafer on May 10, 2016
    Block ice tongs
  • Phyllis rothemeyer Phyllis rothemeyer on May 10, 2016
    huge ice thongs
  • Kathy Steinlicht Kathy Steinlicht on May 10, 2016
    You have the answer above but I agree , an Ice tong
  • Kathie galloway Kathie galloway on May 10, 2016
    I have one it was for carring ice blocks
  • Anne Shelton Anne Shelton on May 10, 2016
    "tongs" for firewood
  • Grandmamontana Grandmamontana on May 10, 2016
    It was used for blocks of Ice back in the day before refrigeration
  • Stella Ashley Stella Ashley on May 10, 2016
    Long before we had conveyor belts invented, the guys had to get big blocks of ice from one place to the next. These Ice Tongs were used to hold on to the block in order to move it from place to place. When I was a child my grandparents had an "ice" box. A block of ice was put on the top shelf inside the icebox. Because cold air moves to the bottom everything was kept cool. Things were kept cool unless you had about 20 grandchildren who had never seen something like that and wanted to get a piece of ice to suck on. Good memories.
  • Janet Richardson Janet Richardson on May 10, 2016
    Ice tongs..I have two pair.....great for moving logs or railroad ties...carry in wood in for the fire place...they have been used for all of these at our house....
  • F H Young F H Young on May 11, 2016
    They are tongs used to carry ice. Before refrigerators, people used ice boxes to keep their food cold. The ice man used the tongs to carry the big blocks of ice from the truck. He put the ice blocks in the ice box, people ordered the number of ice blocks they needed and paid a set fee for each block of ice.
  • Mary M. Prinzavalli Mary M. Prinzavalli on May 11, 2016
    At first I thought they might be used to put bales of hay into a barn. They called it bucking bales and was a very hard job. And then I also thought they were ice tongs and that is probably what they are. That is a very clever way to use them for the paper towels.
    • Diann Merritt Morales Diann Merritt Morales on May 12, 2016
      Actually, hay hooks look sort of similar to half of these ice tongs. There was usually a wooden handle and the metal was kind of flattened, so the wood would go into the palm of the hands and the metal went between the fingers. My dad grew alfalfa, which was baled into hay, so I saw plenty of hay hooks when I was a kid.
      comment photo
  • Ger6136274 Ger6136274 on May 11, 2016
    They are ice tongo used to move big blocks of ice
  • Hen2222465 Hen2222465 on May 11, 2016
    I come from a logging family and it looks like a log turner to me.
  • Mary M. Prinzavalli Mary M. Prinzavalli on May 12, 2016
    Thanks Diann Merritt Morales, I am so glad you corrected me. One I saw the picture I remember those too. Yes those must have been ice tongs. I lived in the country but we did not have bales but I did see a lot of the neighbors putting bales of hay in their barns. I guess I just do not know everything. LOL
  • Elaine Elaine on Jun 09, 2016
    These were used when ice boxes were still in use; before refrigerators came on the scene. The iceman would bring a chunk of ice into your kitchen using these tongs. While he was doing that, kids would steal small pieces of ice off his wagon to cool down on a hot day. Usually the wagon was horse drawn.
  • Carol Carol on Jun 09, 2016
    I can still remember the ice man delivering ice for our ice box in a third floor walk-up apartment in New York City in the late 1940's. I know we also had coal delivered but I don't remember it being carried up three flights of stairs. Maybe it was delivered while I was at school and less frequently than the ice,
  • Joycepretzer Joycepretzer on Jul 01, 2016
    Absolutely remember the iceman delivering ice to our back door using these tongs to carry it . He had a folded gunny sack or piece of leather over his shoulder and depending on size of block of ice, would grab the block from his truck using the tongs, sling the block over his shoulder and carry it to our back door. We had a metal sign which ice man could see from his truck, indicating the size of block we wanted him to deliver. Sign was kind of octgon shaped with numbers on each angle representing the weight of ice blocks, ie, 25 lbs etc. Whichever number was in the top position would be what ice man would deliver. In the summer he would often 'accidently' drop a small block of ice which we kids would always run to his truck to get a chunk of to cool us off..
  • Alice Shockley Alice Shockley on Jul 01, 2016
    LOL I could never use them. I had bad sciatica once and told my doctor that it felt like someone was taking a pair of ice tongs and trying to rip off the left side of my "lower back" with it! It's exactly like I pictured it in my head!
  • Brenda Cooley Brenda Cooley on Jul 07, 2016
    It is to pick up blocks of ice. But I really like what you are using it for.
  • Brenda Cooley Brenda Cooley on Jul 07, 2016
    To pick up blocks of ice
  • Patricia Patricia on Jul 25, 2016
    Use for picking. up block of ice
  • Ted Brydges Ted Brydges on Jul 27, 2016
    They are called ice tongs. We used to have to haul ice from the lake and haul it home, melt it down in the resavoir on our kitchen stove. We first had to saw the ice into big blocks, force them down in the water and grab them quick with the tongs when they bobed back up. Most people hauled the ice back to their farm or place of business on a bob sleigh pulled with a team of horses. Remember the big ice houses the railroads had. They packed them full of ice to use in refrigeration cars in the summer months. Sawdust was used to pack around the blocks of ice to keep them frozen.
  • Can3409579 Can3409579 on Aug 07, 2016
    It ia an ice block hauler.
  • Sandy Sandy on Aug 07, 2016
    Ice tongs. We used to cut blocks of ice in the lake and these were used to haul the block out and up onto the horse drawn sled.
  • Kda5402111 Kda5402111 on Aug 07, 2016
    I agree ice tongs.
  • Mst8161222 Mst8161222 on Aug 07, 2016
    Ice Tong
  • Mga7538614 Mga7538614 on Aug 07, 2016
    Before refrigerators, ice men drove around in trucks selling blocks of ice for ice boxes. Blocks were 25 or 50 lbs. these tongs were used like clamps to carry these blocks of ice.
  • Shelli Roulst Niemi Shelli Roulst Niemi on Aug 07, 2016
    I hung mine and put a pice of pvc pipe to slide the paper towel roll on. The cardboard gets stuck but with the pvc it rolls better.
  • Sheila Sheila on Aug 07, 2016
    Many years ago, before electric refrigerators, homeowners had ice delivered to their homes and the delivery person used these type of tongs to bring the blocks of ice inside and put them into the ICE BOX!!!
  • Denspen Denspen on Aug 07, 2016
    log grabber
  • Barbara Tutty Barbara Tutty on Aug 07, 2016
    Yes it was used to pick up heavy blocks of ice for the old fridges
  • GA19586444 GA19586444 on Aug 08, 2016
    ice tongs
  • Sgu10470598 Sgu10470598 on Aug 20, 2016
    Tongs to carry blocks of ice.
  • Mary Kay Wissink Mary Kay Wissink on Aug 31, 2016
    My dad was an iceman in Iowa City,Iowa as I was growing up.....children following the truck...just to get a small chunk of ice during the hot summer weather...........
  • Ruthann Ruthann on Sep 08, 2016
    Ice block tongs
  • Mary Mary on Sep 27, 2016
    some used to grab hay bales
  • Sheila Rowland Sheila Rowland on Oct 04, 2016
    tongs to carry blocks of ice
    • Betsy Wilson Betsy Wilson on Dec 16, 2016

      Definitely ice tongs. Could use for fireplace wood.....use to hang something special

  • Lak6361267 Lak6361267 on Nov 02, 2016
    Ice tongs which were used when wagons used to deliver huge ice blocks to homes. The ice sat on hay on the back of a wagon and the iceman brought it to your kitchen and put the ice in the bottom of your Icebox (refrigerator). My mom told me she and her twin sister used to run after the wagon and hold out their hands to catch the ice shavings as if flew of the back of the wagon. It's hot in Alabama and I know that was a treat for the no- air-conditioned days.
  • Clinita Kolesar Clinita Kolesar on Nov 13, 2016
    MY DAD USED THESE TO GRAB ICE BLOCKS BACK IN THE 40'S.
  • Melbrooks Melbrooks on Nov 21, 2016
    Unusual use for the tongs... I use mine in the fireplace since I've never actually seen the ice blocks!
  • Nab13868087 Nab13868087 on Nov 26, 2016

    Ice tongs from not so long ago.

  • JEWEL C JEWEL C on Dec 01, 2016

    I have a pair and they are just sitting on my fireplace with some old cookware . I like the paper towel holder idea. Thanks.


  • UpState UpState on Dec 02, 2016

    ...another creative use for these would be for local highway departments to situate and harness a worker in the back of their pick-up truck and use these tongs to snatch raccoons and possums that unfortunately got hit - all while the pick-up drive maintains a steady and safe speed. For other animals like very large deer this would not be effective. Shovels would still be needed for those that were run-over multiple times.

  • Jenniepilant Jenniepilant on Dec 14, 2016

    Tongs for blocks of ice

  • Amber Bailey Amber Bailey on Dec 15, 2016

    That size most definitely are/were used in ice

    boxs. For you younger readers, cold storage wasn't always a fridge and there was a man that delivered ice to your home Thank God for kelvinators

  • Bette Zwicker Gibson Bette Zwicker Gibson on Dec 21, 2016

    I have 2 of them as paper towel hangers. I mounted them with cup hooks, and use a piece of pvc pipe or metal rod so the towels roll freely.

  • Maria Maria on Dec 21, 2016

    Totally agree....Ice tongs.

  • Teresa Mallonee Bishop Teresa Mallonee Bishop on Dec 30, 2016

    bubble gum" bubble" measure. LOL

  • Melody Drew Melody Drew on Jan 02, 2017

    cube ice carrier

  • Lst12556561 Lst12556561 on Jan 02, 2017

    back in the old days they were used to put blocks of ice in the top of an "ice" box, aka refrigerator

    • Barb Dauber Barb Dauber on Jan 09, 2017

      I remember the ice man making a delivery at the corner grocery store. He always wore a leather cover on his shoulder to protect himself from the cold ice blocks. Ice can also get an edge on it that can cut. He used to give us kids the large chunks that got chipped off.


  • Kathi Davis Kathi Davis on Jan 02, 2017

    Yup,ice tongs,my dad was the Ice Man for many years.


  • Judy Riley Judy Riley on Jan 03, 2017

    Ice tongs,for before electric refrigerators,they used to deliver ice blocks to the houses once or twice a week.

  • Lovena Rehn Lovena Rehn on Jan 03, 2017

    what ever you use them for please dont get rid of them you have a piece of history

  • Diceprincess Diceprincess on Jan 03, 2017

    Ice tongs! I hail from the northeast and these were used when the river was frozen during "cutting ice" season. The tongs were used to carry big blocks of the ice to be used for refrigeration many years ago.

  • Haz13514049 Haz13514049 on Jan 09, 2017

    Ice tongs

  • Int2363025 Int2363025 on Jan 09, 2017

    I can go back farther in history......when you lived out in the country, a distance from the ice plant you would make that your last stop before you started home. 100# block would be placed on the bumper of the old car, wrapped and covered in blankets and away you would hurry home before tooooooo much melted. Then you used the ice tings to put in the ice box.

  • Dixie Dixie on Jan 09, 2017

    Back before there were refrigerators, there were ice boxes. They were generally oak. The top opened and a block of ice was placed inside the tin-lined container. Below this was the part which held your items which needed to be kept cool. There was a sign you placed in your front window with the upper number being the number of pounds of ice you needed for the iceman to bring. These tongs opened so the "teeth" held the block of ice which he delivered.

  • Sunny C Sunny C on Jan 09, 2017

    The Tongs are Antique Cast Iron ice Tongs. If for some reason you decide that you do not want them, I am sure that you can sell the tongs to someone whom would enjoy having them in their home.

    They truly are a piece of History and are well worth keeping.

    I wish that I had them!!!

  • Patricia Patricia on Jan 09, 2017

    Those are Ice tongs. Blocks of ice were delivered to each house to keep food from going bad. Later they were put into refrigerators. that was before electricity was use to keep food cold. Era 1900 or so.

  • Linda Dillon Linda Dillon on Jan 09, 2017

    Ice tongs. Saw some recently at an auction. They went for somewhere around $60


  • Eme6593149 Eme6593149 on Jan 13, 2017

    I recognized something from my childhood and yep I was right. A must use item so nice you might paint it a color you really like in your kitchen.

  • Ant11605640 Ant11605640 on Jan 16, 2017

    Yep they are ice tongs. I was born and raised in SW Virginia I was 12 years old before I knew there was such a thing as refrigerators lol. I have 2 sets of these, one set was my grand parents and the other was my parents. We always hithed old John to the wagon and went to the ice plant on Saturdays to get ice for the week. We also had a spring house we kept milk cream and butter in. One pair of these hangs on my kitchen wall along with my grandmothers washboard and her homemade cooking utensils.

  • Jan Koelsch Jan Koelsch on Jan 18, 2017

    I think those are ice tongs for use with literally an ice box.

  • Joan Joan on Jan 20, 2017

    It might be worth something! I would check online :)

  • Connie Connie on Jan 20, 2017

    To pick up ice blocks I believe

  • DeMarie I DeMarie I on Jan 22, 2017

    Tongs to pick up large blocks of ice. Back in the '50's our neighbor still had an ice box and the ice man would come once a week to deliver blocks to her. In the summer, we neighbor kids would stand around the ice truck and he'd throw off some big ice chips for us to suck on for relief from the sweltering Philly heat.

  • CORINNE CORINNE on Jan 26, 2017

    Used back before refrigeration to lift and carry blocks of ice to put in the "home" ice chest.

  • Peggy Olsen Peggy Olsen on Jan 26, 2017

    Yep sure remeber them the ice truck would come by once a week and us kids would go get up in the truck when the man took the ice in the house and we would get chips of ice , I still have the gravel in my knee when I fell out lol I think I was about 5 years old 1941 or 42




  • Barbara Tutty Barbara Tutty on Jan 29, 2017

    ice picks for very big block pieces of ice, used in old fridges that sat outside the homes as they bought there groceries daily in those days.

  • Lucy Marie Bernier Lucy Marie Bernier on Jan 29, 2017

    That was used to grab blocks of ice. It's an antique. Like above responses. Turn it upside down and you got a paper towel holder!....👍👍👍

  • Patricia Patricia on Jan 29, 2017

    I grew up in Cleveland in the 30's and 40's. The Ice was collected in the winter on the shores of Lake Erie and stored in the Ice Factory along Lake Shore Blvd. We didn't have a refrigerator until the early 1940's. Also, as a side note, salt blocks were also gathered from Lake Erie and used for Cow licks on the farms. I remember taking some to our friends on a farm in Mt Galid. Boy does this take me back to a happy time.

  • Beverly Kohn Beverly Kohn on Feb 02, 2017

    Oops showing my age . It's an ice pick for chucks of ice from a truck for freezers which were called boxes hence the name. If not sharp any more hang from tree I use memory wire(forbracelets & necklaces jewelry in aisle) just hook end and bead to end of lenght you desired . Bend end into hook attach large spacers from hard ware store to each wire hung . Make sure ends are closed. Weight of spacers will weigh down memory wire. Must use memory wire cutter or stringcutter from husband , wire will ruin any other wire cutters


  • One8414992 One8414992 on Feb 03, 2017
    Yes, it is an ice grasper......The ice man used it to move the ice inside the homes ice box from his ice truck.
  • Sallie Stewart Sallie Stewart on Feb 03, 2017

    It's tongs for picking up ice blocks

  • Jennifer Jennifer on Feb 03, 2017

    Tongs to pick up blocks of ice. I see you have already been told this

  • Ceejay Ceejay on Feb 20, 2017

    Ice tongs---ah yes--childhood memories .........

  • Gordon Law Gordon Law on Feb 22, 2017

    It's the ice tongs that Moe used to grab Curly.

  • Ginny Ginny on Feb 23, 2017

    Ice tongs - I have one just like it and had it hanging on the wall in the basement at one time. I have seen people use them as paper towel holders and they looked great. Would leave it black as it other colors would take away from historic meaning of the item.

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Apr 18, 2017

    Well they are about 60+ years old.....ice tongs. Nice find.

  • Angela Ley Angela Ley on Apr 21, 2017

    the are ice tongs, they were used for moving ice blocks. My grandmother use to tell me about them cutting ice from the river in the winter and using these to carry and move the ice around. She had a couple of sets of them in her home. They would cut the ice in the winter and store it in special designed "barns" and people would use the ice in their ice boxes (prior to the invention of the modern refrigerator)

  • 13526476 13526476 on Apr 22, 2017

    One more comment. We burn wood and these are used to wrangle wood, pick up logs, move it...Helps keep fingers from being crushed, etc

  • Hel22288663 Hel22288663 on Apr 22, 2017

    It's a set of tongs, used back in the days when refrigeration didn't use Freon or whatever, food was kept fresh with the cool of the ice. Ice boxes, we had one when I was little.

  • Buck Buck on Apr 22, 2017

    Ice Tongs /Ice men used them in the day to carry Ice when people had ice boxes. I am sure they still use them in Ice houses



  • Wke22727601 Wke22727601 on Apr 22, 2017

    They are Ice Tongs. When we were going on a trip we would stop at the Ice House and my Dad would get a block to put in the cooler. I also saw one that had been altered, by a blacksmith, to be used for lumber. The claws were opened up to the correct width and then were welded in that position. Then one of the handles was removed by the blacksmith. You had a very good replica of one of those log grippers, or rollers, what ever they were/are called

  • Aka27532880 Aka27532880 on Jul 08, 2017

    it looks very much like what they use to use to carry blocks of ice to the old type of frigs back in the 20's 30's.

  • We28518635 We28518635 on Jul 09, 2017

    antique carrier for blocks of ice when Ice used to be delivered by horse

  • Donna turrisi Donna turrisi on Jul 09, 2017

    It is an ice pick! Used to pick up large blocks of ic for your icebox in the day!

  • Louise Jones Louise Jones on Jul 09, 2017

    Looks like ice tongs. They use that to pick up Big Blocks of ice. Remember the old Ice House

  • Pam Pam on Jul 09, 2017

    Ice tongs for picking up big blocks of ice

  • Michel Cromwell Michel Cromwell on Jul 09, 2017

    Before refrigeration, big blocks of ice would be delivered to your house to put in a big metal refrigerator type box, or concrete ice cellars...the delivery man would use these ice tongs/picks to pick the ice off the truck and carry into your cold storage area. My great grandparents had an above ground cold house where blocks of ice kept perishables cold.

  • Alu15740657 Alu15740657 on Jul 09, 2017

    It appears to be tongs that an ice delivery service used to deliver the ice for our 1940's icebox. The block of ice would sit under the icebox to keep it cold. He ice man would grab the ice between the two pointed ends and then carry inside holding it with the one hand with the oblong loop. My gosh that takes me back more than 60 years.

  • Robin Avis Robin Avis on Jul 13, 2017

    Ice blocks,

  • Pat Olshefski Pat Olshefski on Jul 13, 2017

    It was used to pick up a block of ice.


  • KK KK on Jul 13, 2017

    Used for Ice Blocks. Looks great for the paper towels. Nice piece.

  • Patricia Patricia on Jul 14, 2017

    It's for picking up logs to put in your fireplace. Sometimes comes with fireplace accessories .


  • Gale O'Neal Gale O'Neal on Jul 17, 2017

    Ice pic

  • Gale O'Neal Gale O'Neal on Jul 18, 2017

    I meant Ice block picker upper

  • Melissa Travis Thompson Melissa Travis Thompson on Jul 18, 2017

    It is an ice pick.

  • Judy Judy on Oct 02, 2017

    I've tongs for when they had blocks of ice for non electric refrigerators

  • Rose Broadway Rose Broadway on Oct 02, 2017

    Sure do! They are Ice Tongs. I remember, as a little girl, our "Ice man" coming through our house carrying a big block of ice, then putting it in the bottom part of our ice box. They weren't called Refrigerators in those days!

  • Ebbjdl Ebbjdl on Oct 04, 2017

    They are large ice tongs, when ice was delivered by the Ice Man. I can't see the bottom but that's what it appears to be. EJL.

  • James Larry Franks James Larry Franks on Oct 04, 2017

    these are ice tongs---used by ice houses to move ice around and by the ice delivery man (years gone by) to carry ice from truck to inside the home to the original Ice Box, which worked very well to keep food safe!!!!

  • Ginny Ginny on Oct 06, 2017

    Before refrigerators had freezers, the iceman delivered ice to homes in huge blocks and used these tongs to carry the ice. I have a set myself. Have seen pictures where people have hung them on the wall and used as paper towel holders....very cute.

  • Suzanne Stevens Suzanne Stevens on Nov 14, 2017

    Ice block carrier i’ll Bet

  • Ana Bacallao Ana Bacallao on Nov 14, 2017

    Many, many years ago my father owned an ice factory and that definitely looks like the tools the workers would use to pick up the planks of ice.

  • Vickie Tanner Vickie Tanner on Nov 14, 2017

    Don't know what there called, but they pick up-up bails of hay.

  • Elaine Johnson Elaine Johnson on Jan 03, 2018

    Ice tongs .

  • 2dogal 2dogal on Jan 03, 2018

    Depending upon what size it is, it's either for picking up blocks of ice or for bales of hay. It's old.

  • Mar10265939 Mar10265939 on Jan 03, 2018

    defiantly is ice tongs !!

  • Rose Broadway Rose Broadway on Jan 03, 2018

    Ice tongs! I remember the ice man coming to our house with a new block of ice when I was 5 years old. We never locked a door, so he always came in the kitchen door, and you never knew when he would appear! Can you imagine that now?

  • Mik28534383 Mik28534383 on Jan 03, 2018

    I can't believe that no one out there knows what this is

    it is the tongs that were made to carry blocks of ice

    back when the big cube of ice kept everything in the fridge cold

    they are ice tongs

    see it does pay to be old sometime

  • Mik28534383 Mik28534383 on Jan 03, 2018

    they are for carrying blocks of ice they are ice tongs

    they use to use them to carry blocks of ice for refrigeration

  • Emily Emily on Jan 03, 2018

    children (boys that is) used to get chips of ice from the blocks; courtesy of the nice ice man. House wives would hang cardboard (pre printed) signs in their front door windows saying how many lbs they wanted. A different amount on each of the four sides of the sign. In the house we own, the original owner (born in my bedroom in 1908) told me that where our d.w. is now, once stood the ice box and the ice man could fill it from an opening outside.

  • Patrick McKeever Patrick McKeever on Jan 12, 2018

    They're 'ice tongs'. A hundred years ago 'ice boxes', the fore runners of refrigerators, used a block of ice to keep things cold. The ice was delivered to your door. The guy would throw a piece of leather over his back, use the ice tongs to throw the ice block up on his back and deliver it to your apartment.

  • Sharon Robinson Cox Sharon Robinson Cox on Jan 12, 2018

    Yep, ice tonges! I’ve been using a pair for a paper towel holder for manY years. Love to take antique pieces & use them for something entirely different than their original use!

  • Joyce Archer Joyce Archer on Jan 12, 2018

    Looks like Ice tongs.......in the old day, Ice house would deliver ice to homes and this is how they carried the block of ice..............kinda hard to tell how big they are in a picture...

  • Beverley Grace Beverley Grace on Jan 13, 2018

    have not seen them foe many years. The ice man used then to get ice. Out of the truck.

  • Joyce Snyder Joyce Snyder on Jan 13, 2018

    tongs to carry blocks of ice, they must be very old. before the frig. there were ice boxes, blocks of ice were delivered to your home carried in on tongs and placed in your Ice box. could be wrong but when i saw them thats what crossed my mind.

  • Patricia Commodore Patricia Commodore on Jan 15, 2018

    That looks like the tool they used to pick up square chunks of ice to put in refrigerator to keep it cold before they had refrigeration like we do today. The Iceman used used to come around in a truck to deliver the ice. And I believe the ice chunks were cut out of the rivers and streams when they froze over.

  • Robin Fournier Robin Fournier on May 06, 2018

    dry ice or salt block grabber/holder

  • Deb Deb on Jul 07, 2018

    is it what they used for ice blocks when ice was delivered?

  • Janice Janice on Jul 07, 2018

    Probably a new piece made to look like the old tongs used years ago when people had blocks of ice delivered to their homes. I had one I bought that was a paper towel holder. Kind of cool!

  • War15939090 War15939090 on Jul 07, 2018

    look like ice tongs

  • Ginny Ginny on Jul 07, 2018

    Ice block tongs. I have one too and have seen them turned right-side up and hung or suspended for paper towel holders.

  • Mary Fennell Mary Fennell on Aug 22, 2018

    They used those to move blocks of ice back in the old ice plants . There was one near my house.

  • Jamie Jamie on Sep 06, 2018

    These can be ice tong, for the big blocks of ice. Or, wood tongs, for grabbing a hunk of wood to throw into the fire place.

    You can do so many neat hinging things with them now.

  • Merrill Perkins Merrill Perkins on Sep 16, 2018

    tonges for large blocks of ice


  • Homeroad Homeroad on Sep 21, 2018

    These are vintage (or reproduction) ice tongs. Often used as a paper towel holder.

  • Nan W. Nan W. on Sep 21, 2018

    Ice tongs! Yes! ...and I think your paper towel use is very clever!

  • Guy Guy on Oct 30, 2018

    Caring ice blocks , before we had fridges

  • Kst9536252 Kst9536252 on Oct 30, 2018

    it is used to pick up large cubes of ice - like for old time refrigerators

  • Debbie OBryan Debbie OBryan on Oct 30, 2018

    This is for leading cattle around by the snout. Not very pretty used like scissors, how ever you close them by opening the handles.

  • Leslie Murphree Leslie Murphree on Oct 30, 2018

    It was used to carry a block of ice.

  • Qde29103268 Qde29103268 on Nov 16, 2018

    Looks like a tool for lifting ice blocks. In the old days the ice man delivered blocks of ice for ice boxes. Pre refrigerators

  • Sandy Sandy on Jan 10, 2019

    looks like a turn of a century ice block carrier..

  • Janet DeBord Caccamo Janet DeBord Caccamo on May 31, 2019

    It was used to pick up big blocks of ice back in the day...

  • Philipp Philipp on May 31, 2019

    Almost everyone knew the answer but I was terrified of it at first. Haha. I thought it could be a torture equipment back in the day (well maybe for ice blocks, yeah?). But that's a very creative way to repurpose it! Kudos!

  • Annette Annette on May 31, 2019

    It is an ice pick to pick up and move blocks of ice.

  • Jean Jean on Jul 17, 2019

    ice tongs used to carry large blocks of ice in the 30s and40s

  • Pat Widener Pat Widener on Jul 17, 2019

    It was used to pick up blocks of ice

  • Saundra Shuford Hennigan Saundra Shuford Hennigan on Aug 25, 2019

    blocked Ice tongs

  • Marilyn Marilyn on Aug 27, 2019

    Ice tongs

  • Linda Palestine Jeffery Linda Palestine Jeffery on Sep 08, 2019

    Picks up ice blocks from the past

  • Jim Jim on Sep 08, 2019

    Ice block carrier.

  • Nancy Nancy on Sep 08, 2019

    ice tongs

  • Maria Colamarino Maria Colamarino on Oct 03, 2019

    An block of ice picker upper

  • Bshane Bshane on Oct 06, 2019

    Looks like it’s for grabbing and carrying blocks of ice.

  • George Ramos George Ramos on Oct 25, 2019

    pick up logs? ? ? ? ?

  • Linda Linda on Nov 05, 2019

    THIS IS A TOOL USED TO TRANSFER. LARGE BLOCKS OF ICE FROM ICE TRUCK TO ICE HOUSE/HOUSE

  • Vikki Salazar Vikki Salazar on Nov 05, 2019

    in old days it picks up ice blocks


  • Kristy Weber Kristy Weber on Nov 24, 2019

    Ice block grabber

  • Sally Sally on Nov 24, 2019

    It picks up ice chunks that are cut into cubes in frozen ponds or lakes

  • Pat Pat on Nov 24, 2019

    Looks like a vintage ice grabber

  • Buffy Mullen Buffy Mullen on Dec 03, 2019

    Hay bail grabber

  • Christy Dawkins Christy Dawkins on Dec 22, 2019

    ice block lift tool.

  • Christy Dawkins Christy Dawkins on Dec 22, 2019

    ice block lift tool.

  • Karen Van Ryn Karen Van Ryn on Jan 20, 2020

    Is it an ice tong.? Used before fridges to move ice into ice boxes.


  • Canela15 Canela15 on Feb 22, 2020

    Ice tongs for. Lifting large blocks of ice. I found a pair in 'm my 107 year old house and kept them just because!!