Sugar nips

Sugar nips for cutting a sugarloaf into smaller pieces

Swedish sugarloaf box for cutting sugar and collecting residues

Before the introduction of granulated and cube sugars in the second half of the 19th century, the domestic consumer purchased sugar in the form of a sugarloaf , or at least a part of one, and pieces were cut from it by hand using sugar nips, pliers-like cutters. Greater leverage and improved safety was provided by heavier sugar nips set in a wooden base for counter and table-top use.

There was also an all-in-one version; a box that could serve as container for the sugarloaf with built-in pliers and collector drawer for fine-grained residues from the sugar cutting.

(H)ouseholds bought their white sugar in tall, conical loaves, from which pieces were broken off with special iron sugar-cutters. Shaped something like very large heavy pliers with sharp blades attached to the cutting sides, these cutters had to be strong and tough, because the loaves were large, about 14 inches in diameter at the base, and 3 feet high [15th century]...In those days, sugar was used with great care, and one loaf lasted a long time. The weight would probably have been about 30 lb. Later, the weight of a loaf varied from 5 lb to 35 lb, according to the moulds used by any one refinery. A common size was 14 lb, but the finest sugar from Madeira came in small loaves of only 3 or 4 lb in weight...Up till late Victorian times household sugar remained very little changed and sugar loaves were still common and continued so until well into the twentieth century..."

— English Bread and Yeast Cookery, Elizabeth David, 1977,