Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
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Unique ID: SOM-F97398
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
Treasure case 2016 T832: Disclaimed, returned to finder
Description: Post Medieval silver thimble formed of a domed top soldered onto a slightly tapering cylinder. The top is decorated with two recessed rings encircling an unrecessed crown enclosed by a recessed outer border with raised foliate decoration. The sides have a plain band top and bottom. The central part is decorated with regular rows of indented squares with a raised grid between them creating a 'waffle' pattern. Cutting across this pattern is a broad continuous zig-zag line running around the middle of the thimble. This line has a recess centre and raised borders. A pair of incised plain lines runs around the base just above the edge. Various folds are visible in the edge as well as a possible soldered seam up the side and a crack up the opposite side.
Dimensions: The thimble is 26.6mm tall, 17.6mm by 14.9 mm at the base and weighs 5.64 grams.
Discussion: Similar thimbles are illustrated in McConnel (1999:24) and are dated to the mid-17th century and are of English manufacture. Holmes (1988:3) also suggests they are of English manufacture and date to c. AD 1580 to 1650. Many similar thimbles have been reported through the treasure process with a range of decorative lines on the waffle pattern including: DEV-D013EA (2015 T758) LIN-3ED029 (2004 T161), SOM-D37677 (2006 T137), SUR-B665D3 (2012 T821) and LON-D4CA92.
The object appears to consist of over 10% precious metal and be over 300 years old at the time of finding and as such qualifies as potential Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2016T832
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1580
Date to: Circa AD 1675
Quantity: 1
Length: 26.6 mm
Width: 17.6 mm
Thickness: 14.9 mm
Weight: 5.46 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 30th September 2016 - Friday 30th September 2016
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Other reference: SCC receipt 17442
Treasure case number: 2016T832
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Holmes, E.F. | 1988 | Sewing Thimbles | Finds Research Group 700-1700 Datasheet 9 | ||||
McConnel, B. | 1995 | The Collector's Guide to Thimbles | Bracken Books |
Find number: SOM-22215E
Object type: THIMBLE
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
Description: Post Medieval silver thimble formed of a tapering cylinder, squashed and incomplete, and a separate missing domed top. The side…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: LON-D4CA92
Object type: THIMBLE
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
A complete post medieval silver thimble of mid 17th century date. This thimble tapers slightly to a domed peak. The object was likely made in…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: KENT-BB00F9
Object type: THIMBLE
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
An incomplete silver thimble of post-medieval date (c. 1600-1750)
Description: The thimble is conical, with a slightly wider base than t…
Workflow: Awaiting validation