https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/templates/general_wide/img/logo.png https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements.html https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/gouge-58880.html Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:53:50 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A corroded and heavily used iron gouge of uncertain age, possibly a stonemason's tool. The blade end is of parallel arcuate cross-section except for a chamfer to the cutting edge and a slight narrowing at the handle end. The handle would have been forged to a round cross-section, but almost all of it has been progressively lost to 'mushrooming' of the striking end by repeated hammer-blows. The surviving overall length of just over 14cm probably rendered the tool too short for use and caused it to be discarded. Iron tools are often difficult to date, as their basic form remained unchanged for long periods of time.  See also PAS: SUSS-C62021.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/claw-hammer-58665.html Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:05:14 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		The head of a small claw hammer. The head has a central sub-circular socket for the (missing) wooden shaft, a flattened and down-turned split end forming the claw, and a slightly tapered polygonal neck with some 'mushrooming' of the striking face. There is no evidence of a foundry mark or decoration. Contemporary depictions of carpentry tools indicate that the claw hammer was in use by the early 16th century. The sub-circular socket ('eye') for the shaft tends to suggest an early date. (Later hammers - see examples below - frequently have rectangular sockets to prevent the head rotating in use.)   Cf. PAS: LON-065AD4 and LON-068890
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/lead-stylus-58664.html Fri, 27 Jun 2025 18:32:14 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A complete lead stylus with circular-section shaft, blunt-pointed writing tip and flattened butt end, which has been transversely pierced for suspension. Styli of this type were possibly used for writing on slate and date from the Roman period to the 17th century or later. The recorder notes that the site where the stylus was found has produced mostly 13th - 18th century material.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/pastry-jigger-wheel-58662.html Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:44:33 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A cast copper-alloy pastry jigger wheel of industrial size. The wheel has central bosses on either side to support the spindle and a threaded hole to secure it. Both the spindle and the handle are now missing. The wheel is very similar to one fitted to a heavy duty pastry jigger illustrated by Michael Finlay in 'Pastry Jiggers and Pastry Prints' (see References below) and made by Benham and Froud of London. Another jigger of very similar appearance is illustrated in Frederick T. Vine's, 'Savoury Pastry' , published 1900 (see Image 5), where it is referred to as a 'Crinkled Paste Wheel'. Finlay gives only the overall length of the jigger (165mm), but scaling his photograph indicates a similar wheel diameter to that of the present example.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/valve-spanner-or-detachable-handle-58377.html Fri, 27 Dec 2024 19:21:06 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A spanner or detachable handle for operating a valve with a square spindle-end. Tools of this type are aften associated with agricultural machinery.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/lead-stylus-57495.html Sun, 06 Aug 2023 08:34:10 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A crudely cast circular-sectioned lead stylus. This is a commonly found form of stylus that were possibly employed for writing on slate. The writing end is pointed and the opposite end is chamfered.  Precise dating is uncertain due to material, simplistic manufacture and lack of ornamentation. They are normally associated with sites that pre-date c.1700 AD. This stylus was found on a site producing many medieval to post-medieval artefacts to which dating is broadly based upon. See also UKDFD 50344 & UKDFD 54690
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/apple-corer-57336.html Mon, 17 Apr 2023 11:41:03 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A cast copper-alloy object tentatively identified as an apple corer or other food preparation implement. The object has a slightly tapered rectangular-U-section scoop and a decorative butt-end terminal in the form of a fully moulded squirrel eating a nut. The scoop is possibly incomplete at the cutting edge end.  Identification is tentative as no parallel in copper-alloy has been traced. It is based on corers made from animal bone (e.g. see UKDFD 3834), which is the more usual material from which they were made at the time. More recently, metal apple corers have been made, but the three copper-alloy objects presently identified as possible apple corers on the PAS database are, in fact, crimper ends broken from pastry jiggers. (Compare Michael Finlay, Pastry Jiggers and Pastry Prints, No. 30 with WMID-9EE891, for example.) Image 4 shows a bone apple corer of broadly similar form to the present one in copper-alloy. It was on offer for sale on the internet at the time of validation with a suggested date of 18th century.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/pastry-crimper-fragment-56994.html Fri, 14 Oct 2022 15:12:55 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A fragment of one arm of a pastry crimper. The surviving part has serrated teeth to one end and an incised lattice work pattern above. Complete, the crimpers resemble a small pair of hand held tongs. With the pattern facing the inside of both arms, it is designed to crimp, cut and decorate the surface of soft food items such as pastry.  For complete examples, see NMS-F2B7E3 & NMS-9D211 From the cook book 'Opera dell'arte del cucinare' published by Bartolomeo Scappi, Italian Renaissance chef to Pope Pius V, a very similar kitchen utensil is drawn and described as a 'molete per pasta' (kitchen apparatus, Plate 15). The book was printed from 1570 - 1646.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/leather-stamp-56825.html Tue, 10 May 2022 19:11:04 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		A stamp for impressing leather, possibly a bookbinder's stamp. The intaglio device consists of two blackletter initials (uncertain, but possiby FG - see Image 5) within a grained rectangular border with chamfered corners. The stamp, which would have been fitted with a wooden handle, is now incomplete, the tanged end of the shank, having broken off. Bookbinders applied gold leaf decoration by first making a blind impression in the leather and brushing it with an adhesive egg-white glair. The gold leaf was then applied with a heated stamp, and the excess wiped from the edges.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/tools-and-implements/sugar-tongs-fragment-12065.html Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tools and implements  

Description:		One terminal from a pair of cast silver sugar tongs.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Tools and implements
Category:		Tools and implements

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