We have a treasure box,a proper treasure box! Although, I should add that the contents aren't particularly valuable in monetary terms but in historic terms, well, priceless I think.
So, during the past year , having recieved my Thames foreshore permit, I have when weather permits and tide allows, been snooping around the foreshore for 'things'.
I think I've done quite well really, being a novice and all, so by the end of the year I had all sorts of little boxes with bits and bob in and no difinitive place to keep them.
I put in a request to the powers that be at London Peculiar and, viola, I have a bespoke antique treasure box made from a poor old broken Victorian writing slope and various bits of walnut hiding in the studio.Perfect, not least because we found a use for a broken but beautiful piece of small furniture.
So, to the contents of our treasure box...
It's been hard knowing how to 'curate' the box. Should it be in date order or type of item, ceramics, bone, pipes, coins..?
The top layer is currently housing these foreshore finds :
1) A piece of 17th century Staffordshire pottery
2) A piece of German pottery from the mid 1500's
3) Some Roman 'fineware' pottery
4) Musket balls of various sizes
5) 2 Tudor thimbles
6) 1 tudor comb (found last week)
7) 4 Boar tusks
8) A small piece of the old London Bridge as issued by John Mowlem Ltd, makers of the new London Bridge (this one I didn't find on the foreshore by the way)
9) Bellermine Beardman head from the famous 'Devils' drinking vessel of the 1500-1700's
I have three more layers to decide what to put in...tokens,coins, pipes, bits of bone...I'll let you know!
All the best to you,
Pepys the Pigeon
