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BULLET MOULD
Unique ID: NMGW-5BEBA4
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
Post medieval copper alloy hinged mould probably of 17th or 18th century date.
The mould is of hinged type and is incomplete, missing one of the handles and with the other truncated (with a surviving length of 44.5mm and a weight of 11.2g). The surviving handle is integral and of a consistent circular-section (with a diameter of 2.8mm and a surviving length of 26mm). The mould section is rectangular (11.8mm long, 11.2mm wide and 10.5mm deep) with an aperture on its top surface leading to a circular mould chamber to form a sphere (of 5 - 6mm diameter). At the base of the handle end is a globular knop on one side and a depression in the other to ensure that the two halves of the mould locate accurately. On the outside edge is the hinge, comprising a double lug on one side flanking a central single lug, from the other half and with a copper alloy axis bar. The hinge remains operational and rotates freely. The surface has a dark-green patina with some file marks evident.
Notes:
The mould is of a form used to cast musket balls in the post medieval period. The 'shot' produced from this mould would be far too small to be used in and gun, leading to the suggestion that the mould may have produced shot for toy canons or possibly muskets of 17th or 18th century date. The shot size of 5 -6 mm would better fit a toy canon, which typically have a bore of 5 - 7mm, although canons are recorded with bores from 2.5mm - 10mm (Egan, 2005, p 80) . Musket bores are typically 3-4 mm although ranges span 2mm - 5mm (ibid. p 89).
1. Forsyth, H. & Egan, G.; 2005; Toys, Trifles & Trinkets; Base-metal miniatures from London 1200 to 1800; Museum of London
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1800
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 44.5 mm
Weight: 11.2 g
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: NMWPA 2014.157.5
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Wales (European Region)County or Unitary authority: the Vale of Glamorgan (Unitary Authority)
District: the Vale of Glamorgan (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Wenvoe (Community)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: ST1272
Four figure Latitude: 51.44013338
Four figure longitude: -3.26749637
1:25K map: ST1272
1:10K map: ST17SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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