Rights Holder: Norfolk County Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
BOOK FITTING
Unique ID: NMS-8EC891
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Medieval copper alloy book clasp of Howsam type A.9.2, a characteristic 14th- or 15th-century design, of box-like construction. The part that contained the strap is rectangular with shaped end with a notch between two concavities, and pierced by a rivet-hole. The sides are chamfered between notches at upper and lower ends. The face is inscribed with an H reserved on a rectangular field of rocker arm. The plate is then butted against a box-like lozengiform element cast in the form of an elaborate quatrefoil in high relief forming a lozengiform boss. The lower faces of the lozenge lie between the bifurcated ends of two plates which form a rectangular-sectioned terminal transversely pierced for a separate copper alloy ring with ends butted together and soldered (diam.10mm). The separate back-plate is perforated by the rivet-hole and by a larger hole on the reverse of the diamond box. Book-clasps use these holes to clip over a projecting lug on the body of the book.
Length 55mm (excluding the separate ring), plate width 18mm. Height of lozengiform 'box' 11mm. See examples from Aylsham (56202), Bunwell (HER 10007), Narborough/Narford (HER 32309), Thurne (HER 51775) and Witton (HER 51189).
Class:
clasp
Sub class: Howsam type A.9.2
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 55 mm
Width: 18 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 8th October 2012 - Monday 8th October 2012
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 39892
Other reference: KLMD102012
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Norfolk (County)
District: King's Lynn and West Norfolk (District)
To be known as: SEDGEFORD
Spatial coordinates
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fingerlin, I. | 1971 | Gürtel des Hohen und Späten Mittelalters | München | Kunstwissenschaftliche Studien Band XLVI | .111, nos.174-8 |
Similar objects
Find number: NMS-369AB8
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Medieval copper alloy book clasp of Howsam type A.9.2. Of characteristic late 14th- or early 15th-century design, with box-like construction …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-FD27A2
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Medieval gilded copper alloy book clasp, or possibly a strap-end from a scabbard belt. Of characteristic 14th-century design, with box-like c…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-6F0081
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Medieval gilt copper alloy gilt strap-end from scabbard belt or book clasp, of characteristic 14th-century design, of box-like construction. T…
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