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TOY
Unique ID: CORN-B45DA6
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Solid cast lead handle from the butt end of a toy pistol with two circular apertures at the broken end, within an expanded collar, which would have attached to the body of the gun. The central aperture is 4 mm in diameter, and judging from a complete example recorded in SWYOR-4634F5, the aperture would have held an iron rod to attach it to the barrel of the gun. The complete example has another matching collar at the end of the barrel, and a trigger mechanism to enable the gun to be fired. The handle has been decorated on both sides with three moulded curved lines, defined by four recessed grooves, each with raised oblique parallel ribs, which create a rope-like effect. There is a casting seam running around the edge of the handle and the remains of dark brown paint on both of the decorated sides.
The shape of the handle copies that of muzzle loading pistols of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, suggesting a date of AD 1650 - 1800. Examples of a similar toy pistol can be found on the database in record YORYM-CFB105, and similar handles in records ESS-493E59 and NLM-A92062 which are dated from the mid-17th to the 18th century.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1650
Date to: Exactly AD 1800
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 68 mm
Width: 26 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight: 53.92 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 20th April 2014
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Devon (County)
District: West Devon (District)
Parish or ward: Mary Tavy (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SX5078
Four figure Latitude: 50.58241981
Four figure longitude: -4.12010802
1:25K map: SX5078
1:10K map: SX58NW
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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