POST MEDIEVAL TOY

1600

Post Medieval (early 17th century) miniature toy matchlock musket (petronel). The copper alloy toy has been cast in one piece and has a 'fishtail' butt, faceted, hollow barrel, and an incomplete rectangular trigger guard. On one face of the barrel, near the trigger guard, there is a hole with a incomplete high-relief border. Thisis probably where the taper to light the gunpowder was placed. The butt is decorated with four low-relief ring and dot designs on each face. It measures 94.07mm long, 9.39mm thick and weighs 27.07g Similar examples are recorded on the database, for example: KENT-4104BA,BH-817DE7, LIN-1F0453, GLO-489057, and DOR-A4DDC2.Several similar toy muskets were found in excavations in London and were dated to the early 17th century, based on their distinctive design (Forsyth and Egan 2005: 89 - 97). These guns were functioning pieces which, with the addition of gunpowder, would have been capable of firing small projectiles.Forsyth, H. and Egan, G., 2005 Toys, Trifles and Trinkets: Base Metal Miniatures from London 1200 to 1800 London: Unicorn Press Ltd