Rights Holder: Norfolk County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: NMS-004813
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Post-medieval copper alloy nutcracker of exceptional form, a miniature tripod vessel with a screw-threaded shaft which turns within a hole through the side and ends in an openwork handle. The vessel side thickens externally into a collar around the hole. The rim is everted and the sagging base extends below the ends of the feet, which are complete, tiny and vestigial with a triangular footprint.
Vessel height 24mm. Diameter 25.5mm (internal diameter, i.e. maximum width of nut 19mm). Length of handle and shaft 48mm, of shaft/thread only 23mm. Diameter of thread 9.2mm. 6.5 turns of the screw are required to transverse the diameter. Weight 50g.
A parallel has been noted found in Lincolnshire and in the collection of V. and R. Butler (N. Payne pers. comm. February 2021). Similar are signet rings that may have doubled up as nutcrackers and perhaps pipe tampers (PUBLIC-6FF674, SWYOR-142317, LANCUM-C8E757). 17th - 18th century. It has been published in Burnett and Webley (eds) (2020, 287-288).
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1800
Quantity: 1
Length: 48 mm
Height: 24 mm
Weight: 50 g
Diameter: 25.5 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 18th February 2017 - Sunday 23rd July 2017
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SMR reference number: 58401
Other reference: RC072017
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
4 Figure: TF7417
Four figure Latitude: 52.72266172
Four figure longitude: 0.57498209
1:25K map: TF7417
1:10K map: TF71NW
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Burnett, L. and Webley, R. | 2020 | Report of the Portable Antiquities Scheme 2018 | London | SPMA | 287-288 |