|
Date: |
|
Description: | Incomplete folding and adjustable candleholder of Late Medieval or Early Post Medieval date (AD 1400 - AD 1700). The lower half which consisted of a spike, is missing. Length 53mm, maximum width, at the top of the cup, 18.5mm, maximum thickness 14mm. Weight 10.35g. The surviving part consists of three elements, all made of sheet copper alloy: The first piece of sheet, the cup to accommodate the candle (28mm in length), is in the form of a hollow inverted and truncated cone with a longitudinal opening at the front. The cup has become flattened and bent, probably during its deposition within plough-soil. Consequently, it is not possible to measure its upper and lower diameter, assuming it would have been circular in cross-section. All around the outside of the cup, just below the lip, is the remains of decoration in the form of two horizontal stamped (or engraved) grooves which are about 2mm apart. Between these two grooves are a series of equally spaced (approximately) vertical grooves. The second piece of sheet is a strip (9mm in width ) folded with a longitudinal slot cut at the fold to hold the missing lower spiked half. This folded part was secured to the inside and the outside of the cup by two small and neat copper alloy rivets. However, the upper rivet is broken, so that the folded part is no longer secured at this point, although part of the rivet remains intact within the hole in the cup. The rear of the folded part is decorated between the lower rivet and the top of the longitudinal slot. This decoration is three equally spaced short horizontal stamped (or engraved) grooves which are in similar style to those around the lip of the cup. The third piece of sheet is another strip (the central plate), held only by the lower rivet. It is situated between the cup and the outer part of the folded strip. The sides of the strip flare outwards slightly and terminate with an obliquely cut end which is 9.5.mm in width. The riveted end of the strip is 7.5mm in width and is chevron-shaped. The function of this sheet strip (the central plate) was to prevent the hinge from moving. When the candleholder was unfolded, the central plate swung out, revolving on the lower rivet, and then swung back to lock the candleholder at closed, fully open or half open position, forming a right angle. The operation of these settings is demonstrated in an illustration of a similar and complete candleholder from London in the Museum of London Collections - acc. no. 84.163 (Egan, G. 1998. The Medieval Household Daily Living c. 1150 - c. 1450. 146, fig. 115. London: HMSO. | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | 1400
1700 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Frank Basford | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
|
|