Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
BOOK FITTING
Unique ID: WAW-C67F20
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
Copper-alloy book clasp, a sub-triangle with a narrowed and moulded knop at the apex; a circular hole runs transversely through the knop but is filled with a copper alloy rivet or pin. The centre of the clasp has a second hole which runs from top to bottom, and this is also filled with copper alloy. This is likely to have fitted over a peg on the opposite book cover and the hole may retain the peg.
The base of the 'triangle' has two integral knops, one at either corner, which are joined by a separate copper-alloy bar showing signs of wear. The reverse of the clasp is flat and undecorated, whereas the upper surface is slightly domed. The surface of the clasp is abraded and corroded.
It measures 25.13mm long, 14.2mm wide and 4.56mm thick. It weighs 4.82g. The clasp would have been used in conjunction with leather straps to keep books closed when not in use. Egan (1998) illustrates similar clasps, for example No. 922. Egan comments that these clasps date from the late 14th to early 15th century.
Class:
clasp
Sub class: Howsam type A.1.1
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1375
Date to: Circa AD 1425
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 25.13 mm
Width: 14.2 mm
Thickness: 4.56 mm
Weight: 4.82 g
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: West Midlands (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Worcestershire (County)
District: Wychavon (District)
Parish or ward: Cookhill (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SP0557
Four figure Latitude: 52.211198
Four figure longitude: -1.928243
1:25K map: SP0557
1:10K map: SP05NE
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egan, G. | 1998 | The Medieval Household: Daily Living c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) | London | The Stationery Office | No. 922 |
Similar objects
Find number: WAW-915605
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Copper-alloy book clasp of Howsam type A.1.3. It is composed of a rectangular plate which has a perforated lug extending from two corners. Bo…
Workflow: Published
Find number: WAW-22C4D0
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Medieval (mid 14th to 15th centuries) book clasp of Howsam type A.1.3. The copper alloy clasp is composed of two components; a rectangular pl…
Workflow: Published
Find number: SWYOR-03481F
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
An incomplete silver book clasp of Howsham type A.9.1. dating from about 1390 - 1500.
The clasp is in three sections, a trapezoidal box …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618