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Description: | Treasure case 2006 T75: Acquired by Rye Museum
Fragment of a cast post-medieval toothpick, broken off at each end. Handle comprises short section of silver wire with beaded terminal, from this springs a foliate element with suspension loop below. In the middle of the foliate element is the worn remains of a talon with sickle-shaped claw, the end of which is engraved with owner?s initials MS. There fragment shows signs of considerable use and wear. Length: approx 3 cm long.
This fragment can be compared with a more complete toothpick from Thornton, East Riding, reported though the Treasure Act (2004 T190) which also takes the form of an eagle?s talon. A further sickle-shape pick with dragon?s head element from Longford, Derbyshire, was also reported (2004 T238).
The toothpick pendant became a fashionable accessory in Northern Europe by 1562, when engraved designs were published by the goldsmith, Erasmus Hornick: a late 16th Century enamelled gold toothpick with a baroque pearl ?body? is in The Waddesdon Bequest in The British Museum: Hugh Tait, Catalogue of the Waddesdon Bequest in the British Museum, The Jewels, London 1986, pp.167-170, no.31. This would appear to be cheaper version in silver of a toilet article which could be worn as piece of jewellery, presumably suspended from a belt.
In terms of age and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996. | 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: | 1500
1650 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Liz Walker | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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