Accession No
TEMP.00686
Description
Small spherical crotal bell with intact suspension loop. Two circular holes, one enlarged by damage, in upper half, with an elongated sound slot joining two further holes in the lower half. The upper half appears undecorated though is largely covered in light-coloured accretions. The lower half has worn Sunburst-style decoration, with a three-armed cross surrounded by a semicircle on one side, and the initial 'W G' surrounded by a semicircle on the other. The inner cavity is empty.
Place
Europe; British Isles; England
Period
Post Medieval 18th century 19th century
Source
Department
Arch
Reference Numbers
TEMP.00686
Cultural Affliation
Material
Metal; Copper Alloy; ?Bronze
Local Term
Measurements
30mm x 38mm x 31mm Weight 0.026kg
Events
Context (Production / use)
The Portable Antiquities Scheme has registered numerous bells similar to this one, also inscribed 'W G', including BERK-88AD9C. The record for that bell notes that: 'W G probably indicates that it was made by William Gwynn of Aldbourne, who was active 1770-1813.' At least one other crotal bell in the Museum's collections (TEMP.00687) has the same initialling.
Event Date
Author: David Kay
Context (Found together / assemblage)
This bell was found in a bag of similar bells (TEMP.00685-TEMP.00703) with a handwritten note reading 'NO PROV'.
Event Date
Author: David Kay
Description (Physical description)
Small spherical crotal bell with intact suspension loop. Two circular holes, one enlarged by damage, in upper half, with an elongated sound slot joining two further holes in the lower half. The upper half appears undecorated though is largely covered in light-coloured accretions. The lower half has worn Sunburst-style decoration, with a three-armed cross surrounded by a semicircle on one side, and the initial 'W G' surrounded by a semicircle on the other. The inner cavity is empty.
Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: David Kay
Context (Amendments / updates)
Whilst there is no catalogue card, accession register entry, or other contextual information available for this specific object, given the information obtained from the Portable Antiquities Scheme (see Production note), the Period field has been filled as 'Post Medieval; 18th century; 19th century'. Similarly, whilst we do not know this object's find spot, it was made in a foundry in Wiltshire, therefore, the Place field has been filled as 'Europe' British Isles; England'.
Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: David Kay
Context (Found together / assemblage)
Nineteen apparently unaccessioned crotal bells (TEMP.00685-TEMP.00703) were found together in the museum store. Some or all of them may have been accessioned and become disassociated with their museum number, or they may never have been formally accessioned into the museum's collection.
Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: David Kay
Context (Related Documents)
See 'Report on Collections Research and Cataloguing Project on Post Medieval 'To Be Disposed Of' Material' by David Kay in the archive (Doc.474) for background information.
Event Date 2019
Author: Esther Laver
FM:281955
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