DRESS FASTENER (DRESS)

Curator's Report for 2014 T941, Post Medieval silver finger dress hook

Date: 1500-1600 AD

Description: An incomplete and probably unfinished hooked tag dating to the Post Medieval period. The body of the hooked tag consists of a rectangular plate with seven knops projecting from it; one knop in each of the four corners and one knop at the midway point on both of the long sides and lower edge. The upper edge bears an slight projection from which extends rounded loop.

The front is decorated with a raised rectangular panel with a recessed sexfoil pattern in the centre. The border between the outer edges and rectangular panel is incised with parallel lines forming squares.

Between the knops is a thin strip of silver, linking all seven knops but broken at the top left corner. The reverse is plan with no scarring indicating the hooked tag having been attached.

It is very similar to ESS-9C9DD2 (2014 T937), WMID- 48E9A2 (2014 T565), SOM-792ED1 (2013 T642) and LON-632613 (2010 T557). All these examples do not have the linking strip and all bear a hooked tag, or remains of one, on the reverse. It is probable therefore that the object is unfinished and that the silver strip linking the knops is from the casting process and would have been removed and the hook attached before use.

Dimensions: Weight - 2.0g, length - 19.0mm, width, 13.5mm, thickness - 2.0mm

Discussion: Read (2008, p.59-61) classifies these objects as early post-medieval Class D, Type 1, and they are nearly identical to two illustrated examples (Read 2008, p.61, no. 189 & 190), although both are incomplete.

It is very similar to ESS-9C9DD2 (2014 T937), WMID- 48E9A2 (2014 T565), SOM-792ED1 (2013 T642) and LON-632613 (2010 T557). All these examples do not have the linking strip and all bear a hooked tag, or remains of one, on the reverse. It is probable therefore that the object is unfinished and that the silver strip linking the knops would have been removed and the hook attached before use.