Museum Of London Object Of The Month August 2009
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Object of the month for August 2009
Pewter Button from the A. G. Pilson button collection This pewter button is part of a collection of 2,444 buttons of all shapes and sizes ranging in date from late 14th to the late 19th century recovered from the banks of the Thames over a period of 40 years by Tony Pilson and other Mudlarkers. Mudlarking originated during the industrial revolution when children and adults would search the foreshore when the tide was “out” for objects that could be sold as scrap as a way of making a living. Now, the Society of Thames Mudlarks has a special permit from the Port of London to search the Thames banks for historical artifacts. Museum of London has had a relationship with the organisation for many years and many finds are reported and generously donated to the Museum. Mr Pilson recently decided that he wanted to leave his collection in the safe hands of the museum and our Senior Curator Post-Medieval Collections, Hazel Forsyth, was delighted with his extraordinary generosity which has resulted in the museum now having the largest group of medieval and early modern buttons in the country. The pewter button featured here is a late 16th to early 17th century cloak button which would have been used as a decorative fastener to an outer gown most likely worn by a gentleman of the time. You to can gain an insight into mudlarking and archaeology from the Thames during the current Festival of British Archaeology which culminates with a series of free
events and activities at both our museums over the weekend of 1 and 2 August. Thames treasures: London’s river revealed will uncover the hidden histories of London’s river through a weekend of talks, art workshops and object handling sessions. So what happens to all these buttons now… As Hazel explains, “cataloguing has now commenced and our aim over the next few months is to number, measure and photographically record each piece. Longer term, we hope to produce an online resource with a small exhibition, and since the button trade in London has received little academic attention we will be setting up various research projects to assess the diversity of the trade which offers a unique and intriguing insight into the nature of craft skill and the social and cultural life of Londoners”.
Pewter Button from the A. G. Pilson button collection This pewter button is part of a collection of 2,444 buttons of all shapes and sizes ranging in date from late 14th to the late 19th century recovered from the banks of the Thames over a period of 40 years by Tony Pilson and other Mudlarkers. Mudlarking originated during the industrial revolution when children and adults would search the foreshore when the tide was “out” for objects that could be sold as scrap as a way of making a living. Now, the Society of Thames Mudlarks has a special permit from the Port of London to search the Thames banks for historical artifacts. Museum of London has had a relationship with the organisation for many years and many finds are reported and generously donated to the Museum. Mr Pilson recently decided that he wanted to leave his collection in the safe hands of the museum and our Senior Curator Post-Medieval Collections, Hazel Forsyth, was delighted with his extraordinary generosity which has resulted in the museum now having the largest group of medieval and early modern buttons in the country. The pewter button featured here is a late 16th to early 17th century cloak button which would have been used as a decorative fastener to an outer gown most likely worn by a gentleman of the time. You to can gain an insight into mudlarking and archaeology from the Thames during the current Festival of British Archaeology which culminates with a series of free
events and activities at both our museums over the weekend of 1 and 2 August. Thames treasures: London’s river revealed will uncover the hidden histories of London’s river through a weekend of talks, art workshops and object handling sessions. So what happens to all these buttons now… As Hazel explains, “cataloguing has now commenced and our aim over the next few months is to number, measure and photographically record each piece. Longer term, we hope to produce an online resource with a small exhibition, and since the button trade in London has received little academic attention we will be setting up various research projects to assess the diversity of the trade which offers a unique and intriguing insight into the nature of craft skill and the social and cultural life of Londoners”.
