Specialist Report

Date 1987

Event ID 928742

Category Documentary Reference

Type Specialist Report

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/928742

In May 1985, C Martin studied the finds from the Kennemerland held in Shetland County Museum, Lerwick, and assessed the pipes to be a coherent group manufactured in or slightly before 1664. In general, very few pipes are identical although their shapes are distinctively similar. This must imply that they were acquired from a variety of sources, most probably by individuals for their own use rather than as discrete batch or cargo. Stem-bore dating has not been attempted for this body of material.

Also studied were four decorated brass tobacco boxes found within a single concretion matrix:

1. egg-shaped cast brass box with a hinged lid and hooked catch. The lid decoration shows a peasant couple courting.

2. box of similar form to (1). The lid is captioned BACHVS and shows the god with wine-glass, bunch of grapes and cask. A townscape entitled DER GOV (Gouda) appears on the base.

3. oval box with brass lid and base, and copper sides. On the top is a scene which includes a turret post windmill with tiller beam, a tree and a house from whose upper window a flag or fish dangles on a pole. There is an inscription (cited) around the perimeter and on the base there is a townscape entitled HAERLEM.

4. a box similar to (3), from which the copper sides have decayed. On the lid there is a representation of a man holding a fish and a woman holding a bird with an inscription (cited). on the base there is a townscape entitled ALCKMAER.

These were probably unused items of cargo rather than personal possessions, and may similarly be considered as a closely-dated group. Each contains a metal tamping-spigot.

(Photographs and numerous drawings of tobacco boxes and clay pipes are reproduced. Comparanda and parallels for the boxes are cited).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM) Undated

Source: C Martin 1987.